My Date with the Daimyo's Daughter
by BelieveInKi1214
Summary: The Daimyou of the Samurai Nation's daughter is being shipped to Konoha at a young age. They need her to watch over Konoha in the future... How will she be able to this, when she is inexperienced? Naruto/Kagome, Alternate Universe.
1. Konoha Needs Her

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you publicly recognize that may be seen on Television, Movies, or Books, [or Anime, Manga] etc.**

**Summary****: The Daimyou of the Samurai Nation's daughter is being shipped to Konoha at a young age. They need her to watch over Konoha for the Sandaime whenever he can't do it in the near future. How will she be able to this, when she is an inexperienced fighter? Get her a personal trainer, of course! **Narugome… Kaguto… Naruto/Kagome pairing. **This is **_**Alternate Universe **_**for both Anime Series. Enjoy!******

****No time traveling, No Uchiha Massacre or Coup de Tat, YONDAIME STILL LIVES, sorta** **

**Samurai-Kagome! Whoot! **

**Setting: Wholly Naruto World with a few key places and characters from InuYasha. ;)**

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><p><em><strong>Ages: <strong>_

**Kagome, Hinata: 9 **

**Rookie 9: 10 **

**Itachi: 17 **

**Kakashi: 24 **

**The rest I'll add as I go. (:**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Konoha needs her.<strong>

The atmosphere was heavy and eerily quiet as the present citizens looked to their country's leader that was confidently giving a speech on a platform at the front of the crowd. He was in full view for everyone and anyone who was willing to watch and listen… But, the news was something that they hadn't expected to hear. Actually, they didn't really care for the news, in all reality; well some didn't. It wasn't important to the lot of them, but none the less everyone was silent as their leader addressed them as a whole on the matter at hand. They decided to be respectful, and pay attention.

But…

What did this speech matter to them? It wasn't going to affect them in anyway, was it? They exchanged curious glances with each other, and some even stared bewilderingly at Daimyo-sama as if he's lost his mind, before settling their gazes on the four-foot feminine figure that was clinging tightly to his waist as she stared down at the crowd with a frightened face.

"I am saddened to confirm that today, our pride and joy will be sent off to Konoha." The leader spoke grievingly while glancing down at his daughter with the pride never leaving his facial features. "It is in our country's will that she will be raised properly, and away from the havoc that was wreaked since the last shinobi war." A few tears escaped his bright blue eyes. "And as the land of the Samurai; we pray that she will not grow up without experience in protecting herself, or others; for that is not the way of the warriors of our lands." As he lowered his head, his shoulder-length raven hair covered his shoulders and his handsome face from the curious on-lookers as he silently prayed for his daughter's safety.

This made some of the female citizens weep silently along with him. They didn't know what it was about the Higurashi family… but it was mainly Daimyo-sama that caused reactions like these. He wept, they wept; he smiled with glee, the others grinned in response.

It was actually rumored that the royal family was formed from empaths. Even though it wasn't a true classification in warring ranks, it still was something rarely seen but not entirely something to be proud of… Empaths usually tend to feel sorry for their opponents during attacks and wars, so much so, that they usually end up being the victim in the situations. But that's neither here nor there, because everyone knows what kind of temper the Higurashi family has, since most of them have witnessed it by ear from the Daimyo's tower eons ago… and boy, can that little girl scream!

But it was that girl that had the wealthier male citizens upset. She was their hime; and they're sending her away to become stronger. Why didn't the Daimyo just set up an arranged marriage to keep their country strong, instead of sending her off to the Fire Lands to be watched over by shinobi? It was no lie that Konoha was one of the strongest Shinobi Lands, but hime-chan is supposed to grow into her own culture; not the ninja's way of life. But, this meeting isn't exactly being set up for debate. So they're just going to have deal with it.

"Kagome-hime will be sent off tomorrow morning, we shall all see her off then." The daimyo spoke before kissing his daughters forehead and lifting her into his arms before walking off the platform with her, his wife, and assistants; leaving the crowd stunned in silence.

The next morning found Kagome awake pretty early with her bags packed and ready to go. Her escort should be here in an hour for their long journey to begin, no matter how mentally unprepared she was. She sighed.

She didn't know exactly how she felt about being sent away from her family—her father, her mother, her little brother, her surrogate brothers, and her surrogate uncle; well, other than what's expected. Even though she seemed kind of indifferent to this situation, she was actually kind of devastated on the inside. She didn't want to leave. She grew up here with not only her family but, Eri, Ayume, and Yuka, too… there was always a time to try something new, though, right?

"Yeah!" she gave herself a small pep talk pumping a tiny fist in the air. "I can meet some new people, and make new friends!" the thought of leaving behind her old ones came back to her and she changed her mind on the last one. "Well, I can just meet new people..." she murmured as she lowered her fist. She doesn't want to replace her old friends; no matter how over-caring they were… and yes, there was such a thing as caring too much.

Kagome's suitcase was by her legs as she sat on her bed, kicking her black booted feet back and forth. Her waist-length, straight, raven hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, and she wore her newest outfit that her uncle, Touga Taisho had bought her. It was a fighting-dressy outfit; black leggings, white and purple dressing kimono, and her aforementioned black boots. She would have worn the silver armor made of youkai hide that he bought her, but he said it was only for whenever she was getting ready to spar; which she wouldn't be doing until she retrieved proper training from his eldest son, Sesshoumaru, who was otherwise known as her surrogate brother/cousin besides InuYasha, which is Touga's youngest son.

Even though she wasn't blood related to the Taishos, her family still considered them family; even if they were basically descendents of dog demons. Actually, Touga InuTaisho himself was a Daiyoukai of the neighboring west lands, he just doesn't necessarily stay there all of the time; his ward runs in his place while he comes to her father's lands. But, none the less, his family is still hers as well as her own family is hers.

"Kagome, honey, your escort's here!" she heard her mother's voice through her door; and after that a round of taps on the floor as she walked away, probably to go cook breakfast for her brother, since her father was in his office.

"Alright, I'm coming." She muttered and grabbed her suitcase before descending the stairs.

When she opened the door she wasn't very surprised to see a ninja there. She wasn't even surprised that she's already seen this ninja before, in her father's office. It was a man, he looked to be in his mid-twenties with silver hair that defied gravity at an impressive angle, and a hitai-ate covering his left eye with a mask that covered the lower part of his face—his mouth and nose.

Right now he looked down at her with shocked eyes, before smiling at her. "Hello, there. Are you Kagome-chan?"

"Hai..." Kagome answered, nodding her head once.

"Then you can call me Kakashi Hatake." He eye smiled at her. "Well, we better get going."

Oh, this is going to be a long trip, she sighed again before using her chakra to hide her suitcase in a scroll as they began their trek.

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><p><strong>AN: So, I know, I started a new story, and bla bla bla...<br>I really wanted to see this story done, though, so yea. **

**The chapters WILL be longer.**

**_TK: How it all Began_ is indefinitely put on Hold. I'm losing interest in it... **

**_Madara's Jewel_'s next chapter is being written right now. **

**Review?**


	2. Settling in Konoha

**AN: Disclaimer still applies. Thank you guys for the Reviews/Support! (:**

**MUST READ: **Naraku isn't the bad guy in here. [^.^]' I mean, face it. He's bad, but he isn't THAT bad. Lol, he's just a good-looking jerk. And Kushina isn't dead.****

_**Question for Reviewers:**_** Should Kikyou be in this? I'm not sure if I want to add her or not. If I do add her, she'll be the same age as InuYasha or something. But, hey it's up to you guys!**

**The other pairings you guys can suggest anything.**

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><p><em><strong>Ages:<strong>_

**InuYasha, Kouga, Naraku: 13 **

**Sesshoumaru: 18 **

**Kagura: 17**

**Miroku: 22 **

**Sango: 21**

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><p>"<em><strong>It's part of the way you were mocking me, acting like I was part of your property,<strong>_**" –**_**In The End**_**, **_**Linkin Park**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Settling in Konoha. <strong>

There were some things that never changed in Konoha. They always stayed the same, you know? Well, that's how it's like throughout the years of school here for a young blonde that goes by the name of Naruto.

The same thing happened everyday in the Ninja Academy in Konoha. He just didn't understand why being on time to school actually mattered. He wasn't much of a "writing and reading" type of learning person, anyways. So, the Academy wasn't very interesting to him unless the class was going to be battling something out; he's more of a physical "trial-and-error" type of learner…

That was one of the main reasons that he arrived late most of the time. What he did in his spare time was simple: pull pranks on the higher ranked ninja in the village. That was always fun, and it kept him entertained.

Like today, Naruto had decided to switch the paperwork at the entrance gate. The joke was priceless, and quite easily carried out, if he does say so himself. He only wished he could have stayed to see the guard's faces when they noticed that the paperwork was swapped, but he couldn't. Unluckily for him, he was caught as he was making his way away from the scene, by no one other than his favorite sensei, Iruka Imuno.

He didn't know how that man managed to catch him every single time he tried to pull one of the best pranks he'd ever come up with, but somehow, Iruka managed. It was like he was always a step behind Naruto, if not running at the same pace as the knuckle-headed blonde. Actually, it was almost as if he was waiting for Naruto to try his pranks. It was very suspicious, if Naruto ever decided to look a little closer… but he never did.

Right now, Naruto stood an annoyed stance in the center of his Academy's classroom, facing his angry sensei, already bored of what his teacher was going to say to him. He was wearing his usual blue shorts with his tan shirt that had an orange fire country insignia in the center and blue ninja sandals, and a messy disarray of blonde hair all over his head that was partially tied back with blue goggles, but the rest was falling into his cerulean blue eyes.

"Naruto, are you listening to me?" Iruka barked at him, with furious eyes.

"Yea, yea," he replied with a slight mocking tone to his voice. "If I do it again the whole class fails and blah, blah, blah."

Iruka just glared at him for a minute before sighing and turning back to the rest of the class. "Well, class is dismissed, since I had to spend most of the time finding Naruto." He steadied his glare on Naruto again. "No homework for tonight, see you all tomorrow."

Just as the rest of the students in class were getting ready to walk out of the room, Naruto began to follow at a hurried pace before Iruka grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, making him skid to a halt.

"Not you. You're staying here."

Naruto groaned inwardly.

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><p>Kagome and Kakashi arrived a few hours earlier and were now standing in the Hokage's office for Kakashi's mission report. Kagome actually didn't think that it would take this long to get through to the Hokage, so she did nothing in their wait… Who knew that there were a lot of ninjas that were out on missions during this period? She didn't. That's why she didn't want to be a ninja, ever! She'll stick with preparing to be a samurai, thank you.<p>

The Hokage signed the last of Kakashi's papers before turning gentle eyes to the little girl that was standing beside Kakashi in front of his desk. He remembered the last time he saw her; when she was a baby… but that seemed like a long time ago now, since she's grown to be as tall as she is now. But, he couldn't help but wonder how the Daimyo had managed to keep her… alive… since then? Then again, he didn't know much of the situation than what he was told.

The story that he was told was that Kagome had health problems when she was born, and that she was too small to survive even after the medics of the Samurai Nation revived her. Her parents, Kaguya Higurashi and Nami Higurashi, had been devastated once they were told that she didn't have long to live; that there was no possible medic that could save her… Not even one of the Legendary Sannin who was known for her miraculous healing abilities, Tsunade.

And now Kagome's grandfather, Maito Higurashi, had ordered for her to be sent here so that she would grow strong enough to protect herself under the pretenses of growing to protect Konoha. Hiruzen, The Sandaime Hokage, was really gladdened to hear that Kagome was still alive since her rare birth date, and he'd immediately accepted her grandfather's request. It was her complete family's hope that she'd be able to live on like she was normal, and be able to protect herself… that is until the destined year...

But, now it made him wonder… What happened back then for her to be alive now?

"Ah, so this is Kagome-hime, hmm?" he spoke finally.

"Hai," Kagome nodded respectfully in response.

"How has your father been since I've last saw him?"

Kagome blinked. He knew her father? No wonder why he looked so old. He must have been one of the old people that her father told her about. If he was one of them, then he must be as great an ally as her tou-san told her. She'd better remember this for future reference when protecting Konoha... "He's doing well." She smiled.

"Well, we'll get you situated after Sesshoumaru-san comes to pick you up, hai?" the Hokage puffed out a smoke cloud after pulling his pipe from his mouth.

Kagome nodded again and took her seat beside the Hokage's desk, as Kakashi exchanged a glance with the Hokage.

"You're dismissed, Kakashi, thank you." he nodded.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Kakashi answered and he left out of the door.

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><p>Naruto wasn't shocked from the treatment that he'd gotten from Iruka. Iruka was always hard on him, but afterward he'd take Naruto to get something to eat at Ichiraku's, one of the only restaurants where people didn't disrespect him. But it was always like this.<p>

The work he'd done before hand wasn't that hard, though. He'd only had to switch the papers back to the way they were before he messed with them, with some of the civilians shouting a few choice words like, "That terrible child!" and "How dare he!" at him. All of which he was used to. Actually, once you heard a few of the civilians being mean, you've heard them all, pretty much.

Even though the pranks weren't even that bad, the civilians treat it as if he'd try to kill someone or something, or as if he'd murdered someone's puppy; right in front of their faces, or simply as if he's disgusting. But that was something that he'd never understood. He just wished that people will stop looking down on him, and start to treat him with respect. He had a dream to remedy that too. And it all started five years ago whenever he first met a bastard named Sasuke, and a know-it-all-bastard, who was the bastard's brother, Itachi.

It had happened so long ago, but Naruto remembered it clearly. During the beginning of the Academy years, Sasuke was new to the class and Naruto had paid little attention to him, but that was until the first sparring lessons.

Naruto was the one lucky enough to fight the new 'cool' guy in school. The outcome of the fight wasn't a good one, seeing as they mainly traded insults throughout the entire fight, and not only that, but Sasuke one easily. Sasuke beat him; like Naruto was some fly that could be swatted around. And after that, Naruto had declared Sasuke his rival.

He just wasn't sure about that guy. There was just something about him that just put Naruto far on the edge. He honestly had no control over his temper when the guy was near; the results of that was a really long argument. It was unbelievable, really.

And, Sasuke's brother, Naruto was fortunate enough to meet him whenever that one specific academy day was over. Itachi was there to pick up his little brother and Naruto had looked their way for an instant and just instantly took a disliking to him. Easily; because he was Sasuke's brother, and he looked like he was the type of person to know everything. He hates those kinds of people. They made him feel even smaller, like he didn't belong anywhere. There really was no point in making Itachi another one of his rivals; he knew it'd be a really long time before he could beat him…

Naruto was on his way to his apartment with his head hanging down, as he thought to come up with a new plan to become noticed. Usually it was a prank that he'd come up with a few days earlier which comes in handy, but not this time. This time he's going to have to come up with something that will turn heads his way, and get the most attention, and not scolded all the time.

And he has a great idea.

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><p>Kagome had waited in the office like she was told and she didn't even have to wait longer than she had expected. Sesshoumaru had rather quickly. But, that wasn't very surprising; Sesshoumaru doesn't like to wait for things, and sometimes he doesn't make others wait… well sometimes.<p>

The minute Sesshoumaru stepped through the door, Kagome almost yelled, "Fluffy!" but she remembered, that he didn't like her to call him that... or aniki… Actually he didn't like being called anything really, besides his name. But that's what was funny to her, because he always acted protective of her whenever the situation called for it. InuYasha was like that, too. They didn't like her calling them "aniki" but they were very careful around her, like she was a porcelain doll that needed protection all the time. Although there seemed to be different reasons why the Taisho brothers refused to be her older siblings… But, Kagome hardly ever caught it.

Sesshoumaru bowed slightly to the Hokage in respect before turning toward the little girl that he'd deemed worthy enough to protect with a small nod. "Kagome-chan, we must get going." He frowned. "You have to get settled before we start your training tomorrow. Jaken will be here to pick up your bags, is that understood?"

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-kun." She nodded before lowering her head.

He had to hide his smirk, to keep from snickering. He refused to be called aniki or "Sempai Fluffy-sama" by her, so she had had a fit so long ago, and resorted to calling him "Sesshoumaru-kun". He couldn't help but release a small smirk, because she had a small tint of blush on her face from calling him a name that was affectionate. Even though a human wouldn't be able to see it, he could smell it. She was embarrassed, and he was enjoying it.

Well, it wasn't _his_ fault; she's the one who settled for "Sesshoumaru-kun" after being upset that there was no suffix that she could use.

She's just going to have to get used to it!

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><p><strong>AN: And this chapter, I declare FIN! <strong>

**I told you guys it would be longer; ^_^ **

**Sorry I didn't update sooner, I had a small case of writer's block… :( **

**So, how was it? **

**These first two chapters are only openings so that the story can flow together. I had to set up their history in small paragraphs, so that it will make sense later… **

**So, yea… Hope you enjoyed it! (:**

**Review? **


	3. Their Pride and Joy Somehow

**KAG—RUTO, NAR—GOME …All the way! (: **

**AN: [D.I] this is AU remember; since Sasuke still has his family he isn't as jerky like he was in the series, I'm referring to his attitude before the whole clan was killed. **

**You know, competitive, but somewhat sweet…? Except each year he gets a little more serious in rivalry, of course; he can't stand being compared to his brother, but who would?**

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><p><em><strong>Ages: <strong>_

**Kikyou: 13**

**Shisui: 19**

**Anko, Kurenai: 24 **

**Gai, Asuma: 28**

**Hokage, Kaede: 71-80**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Their Pride and Joy…Somehow. <strong>

'_This is the last of it,_' came a weary, worn thought. '_I believe._'

There was always something that someone was keeping from someone; secrets to be kept. Most of the time there was a viable reason for them. At least, that's what the people who were protecting the secret always thought. Secrets should be just that; secrets. If someone who wasn't supposed to find out had found out about the secret, something could go wrong.

That was why the Sandaime Hokage kept this secret from his beloved citizens. What they don't know, they won't be able to hand off to possible enemies. It's as simple as that.

The day was young and busy for the Sandaime Hokage, despite the fact that not many ninja were sent out on missions and therefore didn't have to turn mission reports in. His day was only busy because he had stacks of paperwork to fill out that he didn't entrust his assistants with.

There was only so much that the village could keep "secret" (considering somehow it had somehow conspicuously gotten out that Naruto was the lucky kid who contained the spirit of the nine tails; whenever the Yondaime Hokage had specifically ordered that it would be kept secret, so that Naruto would have the chance of growing up normal.) and it was a damned shame that no one could do anything about the wrong doing of the civilians, no matter how pissed he was.

Right now, the Hokage had just finished signing off a specific hospital form that had a coma patient's results filed out in neat handwriting and the calligraphy of a professional Medic Nin—possibly the only high ranked medic in all the shinobi lands—before sliding it into the folder labeled, _Namikaze Minato_. Then he lifted a hidden compartment below his desk as he slid the papers in, knowing that no one knew of the secret stash.

One of the only people to know anything of this situation was the only person he could actually trust with important information… no make that three people. Three of five he originally used to be able to trust made up of Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kakashi, considering they had connections to Minato before the odd occurrence of the Ninetail's attack on the village.

It made no sense how the outcome turned out. But here it was the information was simple: Minato sealed the nine tails in Naruto using the Sikigami, and came out only _half_ alive… There was hardly anything that Tsunade could do, besides stick him on a machine on the highest floor at the hospital; away from her employees, and even her apprentice. She had tried everything she could to give him enough energy to wake up… completely alive; but everything she did wouldn't do it any justice.

And, now, the Sandaime Hokage was waiting.

He was waiting for the news.

He couldn't help but be a bit hopeful that there was at least a slight change in the reports that he was bound to receive in a few short moments, but he didn't really expect anything too different than what he's been told a few weeks ago. But, for some reason he could feel a slight change in the atmosphere. He supposed he first felt the lift yesterday, when Kaguya's daughter had arrived, but he could be wrong.

It didn't matter, though. He just had a feeling that today something would actually change.

He didn't have to wait too long before the door to his office was opened and his female former student quietly arrived in his office with the slightest of emotion on her face.

Hiruzen then knew that it was good news that she came to bring him. It was a bit disappointing that Jiraiya didn't stick around to hear of the news. But, the Hokage knew that he was hurting, and he didn't press him to come. He just decided to give him space to heal it off, since it had been a decade…

Tsunade let the emotion show a little more whenever she spoke to her former sensei, "It's like he's trying to wake… But I can't be too sure; even if he was showing the slightest sign of being somewhat alive." she sighed softly, "Where's Jiraiya?"

Hiruzen lowered his head a little, and removed his pipe from his mouth. "He took off earlier sometime… I would think that he's gone somewhere to think things over…"

Tsunade nodded, she knew all too well what it was like to lose someone, having lost a few people dear herself, and she knew it'd be a while before he completely stood again.

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><p>Kagome wasn't really sure how long her pseudo older brother had prattled off a lecture on her form and how to properly hold her swords and bows, and how to wear her armor… but one thing was for certain, she was getting lost.<p>

She had to make sure that her armor was on the right way, otherwise as Sesshoumaru had said, "she'd be open for death". He delivered all of her lectures sternly though, she was beginning to think that he didn't even want her to learn; that he made this training and lesson session difficult because he didn't want her here. Even though Sesshoumaru-nii-err, she means Sesshoumaru-_kun_, was very protective of her, Kagome feels that he didn't want to teach her anything, and she would have gone to InuYasha, but she didn't know where he was. [Actually, whenever Sesshoumaru moved to Konoha a few months prior to this day, InuYasha moved in with him; even though Sesshoumaru didn't want him to.]

But, InuYasha was always everywhere and nowhere; always hard to find. So, Kagome already knew that that option was out the window the second she considered it. And that she's just going to have to learn from her stoic sensei.

Today, they were fighting with wooden swords, because according to Sesshoumaru, it wasn't tactful to let a "beginner swing her sword around like a blind man," like his brother did, supposedly. Kagome just figured he was still sore about not getting Tetsuseiga… But it didn't really matter. She was reprimanded a lot today.

Like for her attire: she wore her short sea green skirt that stopped mid-thigh with black shorts that were apparently too short to be seen beneath the skirt, a black tank top that covered her Samurai imprint that was on her right waistline, and her red button-up vest, as her armor covered the rest of her stomach area and chest completed with the boots that her uncle had bought her.

Though, you could still see her somewhat-awkward and childish, but developing curves in her uniform, in which she's chosen for its adorableness—Sesshoumaru apparently didn't agree with her. She thought it was fine, of course; but, Sesshoumaru tutted at her whenever he jabbed at her armored-stomach area, sending her sliding across the training ground on her butt, and raising some dirt clouds around her.

"Modesty is top priority, Kagome-chan." Sesshoumaru rebuked in a smooth baritone. "Your skirt needs to be longer and your form still isn't right. You probably weren't even ready for me to attack, were you?"

Kagome scowled, and reached over to pick up her wooden katana that she dropped whenever she fell as she slowly rose. When she was finally standing, she wiped imaginary dirt off of her, to get her mind off of the embarrassment she was starting to feel from getting "owned" on the floor. This time, he won't knock her down! "I wasn't ready," she hissed, before staring her aniki straight in his eyes. "You can't do that. It's illegal."

Sesshoumaru smirked slightly. "Well, maybe you should pay attention then, koi."

"We'll see." she snorted in response and gotten into a random position with her legs spread far apart and her arms holding her sword firmly.

Upon seeing her form, Sesshoumaru shook his head in exasperation, before going back into his lecture voice. "If you had any hope of actually landing a hit, then you just lost it." He sighed. "Your form is still weak. Whenever you get into position you have to stand so that you will be able to protect yourself from any amount of onslaught that may come at you while you are standing, and be able to keep this in mind when you're down, otherwise you'll either break your sword or your body… and don't hold your sword too tight."

The lecture went on. Sesshoumaru had had to move her so that she was standing properly, and had some way to protect herself from being instantly knocked on her behind again, but Sesshoumaru knew that it'd take a while before she would be allowed to fight with real swords.

But, not too long, hopefully; there's too much that will be going on…

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><p>Today had gone a little different than every other day… he supposed. He was in a much brighter mood than he had ever been in all of his ten and a half years. For some reason; the villagers hardly paid him any attention whenever he walked by, it was strange, but he was glad they didn't. There was no need to hear their disapproving words. Someday he'd show them, but he knows that today isn't that day.<p>

He didn't really know the reason for the ignoring, but he thought it probably had something to do with Konoha's new arrival yesterday. The other kids in the Academy had been talking about it during one of the boring lessons that Iruka was giving. (The one that no one even knew what it was about) Even the Uchiha bastard had his stuck-up arrogant ears perked to listen to what was going on. He even went as far as ask Naruto what was going on, to which, Naruto just raised his eyebrows at him like he was crazy.

"Hell if I know." He muttered. He hardly ever knew anything because people hardly talked to him because of the civilian's harsh rules toward their children. But it was a wonder how some of the kids in the Ninja Academy had found out; unless they were eavesdropping like they usually did.

"Sasuke-kun, didn't you hear?" said a blonde girl with pupil-less blue eyes. Ino Yamanaka. She was sort of pretty, but not as pretty as the pink-haired girl, Sakura.

The two girls used to be best friends until the beginning of the Academy and low and behold Sasuke Uchiha had torn their friendship into pieces. Because that was the kind of bastard he was. Him and his brother.

"Yea, I heard that a warrior's daughter moved here yesterday." Sakura and some other boy-crazy girls joined in.

And thus began the talk of the Higurashi girl. He wasn't even sure how he picked up her name, or more specifically, how Kiba Inuzuka picked up her name. It was just typical that the dog-breathed brunette boy would jump in to set him a date with that girl that hardly ever talks much. (Naruto just couldn't remember that girl's name…)

And that was all Naruto had heard about ever since he left the Academy earlier today. It was all about the Higurashi girl that moved here from the Samurai Nation, and every single civilian was talking about it. It was almost as bad as whenever Konoha heard that Sasuke was going to the Academy. But, the Higurashi, she's just a girl.

Naruto took the route near the training grounds, remembering that he should probably train again tonight after getting beat by Sasuke in the taijutsu class session, again. Then he'd get some ramen on his way home.

Naruto was almost to his usual training spot whenever he stopped suddenly, feeling something inside him quiver and gnash against his insides. It wasn't exactly painful, but it hurt enough for his breath to get caught in his throat and a few hot tears to sting his eyes. As weird as it was, he'd felt this before, but that was near the woods at the outskirts of town whenever he was old enough to understand that he was being abused by the villagers because they hated him.

It was a hurtful thing, knowing that the civilian people of the village refuse to accept him and would always disrespect him, but it was even more painful whenever they physically proved it to him; except, somehow, this was different.

This was somehow pleasant… somehow.

He began to walk again, letting go of the warm feeling as he walked by a training ground that was occupied with two people. It looked to be an older woman with long white shining hair that was in a high samurai's pony tail and a completely younger girl with black and blue hair that was in the same hair style.

Although it was clear who was more skilled, and more beautiful, Naruto's steadied his cerulean gaze on the little girl that was being trained by the older one as she stumbled and dodged the older one's wooden sword clumsily. [He knew that they were training, because, why else would anyone fight with a _wooden _sword? So he didn't evenbother trying to stop walking just so he could _bother them_ and _mess them up_. It seemed like that was always the case; he was always _bothering_ someone…]

'_It's probably just some kid that I won't even get along with… just like every other kid in my class._' He sighed, and continued his walk to a different training ground, not even taking a second glance back at the elegant creatures that were heavily entranced in a dance.

It was later that night whenever Naruto had already ate and gotten a small amount of training in, whenever he decided he needed new clothes. His old academy uniforms were all getting torn and ragged from each time he came back to his apartment from training, and besides; he was outgrowing it, finally…

He was always small for his age… especially since each time he put into a new foster home, he was ran from his foster home, and beaten. Then there's the fact that hardly ever ate back then… and Oh, he cried… believe that he cried… but now; he refused to cry anymore. He's going to do something about it. He won't be disrespected whenever he becomes Hokage that's for sure. Not another tear will leave the dam that he'd built over time. He won't allow it…

He slowly climbed into his bed with his regular sleeping uniform on, his boxers, after he shut off the light of his apartment. And the moment he laid his head down on his pillow he instantly fell asleep.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong>**If I get at least five reviews I will try to post sooner with a longer, more exciting chapter. Thanks. **


	4. Meeting Kagome

**AN**_**: Fun-fact**_**: I was listening to "**_**It Girl**_**" while I wrote this…**

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><p><strong>Onigumo: 32 yrs.<strong>

**Kushina, Minato: 40, 41 **

**Ayame: 13 yrs. **

**Hakudoshi, Kanna: 9 yrs. **

**Kaguya and Naomi Higurashi: 32, 28 yrs. [Kagome's parents]**

**Key: **

_**Bold, Italics-**_Flashback of a Dream

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Meet Kagome<strong>

It was the middle of the night, and Naruto was still at his apartment, sleeping. He never was exactly in a peaceful state of mind, awake or asleep, still scarred from the treatments that he always went through. The evil words, insults and beatings dealt out by the civilians... That was why he couldn't sleep at night, and only pretend he was okay during the day.

Tonight was no different, however. He was surprised to find that his dreams were taking a tour that they never ventured before. They were getting a little more vivid and clearer. So much clearer that it almost frightened him to even endure the whole nightmare—but, he's not one to back down. No matter how many beatings he'd taken for no reason, he refuses to cry, and let them get the best of him. And he was shocked that he didn't remember that unspoken rule in his dream.

But, it was only natural, right? He didn't really have control over himself in his subconscious unless he remembers that he has control. And he didn't even realize that he had control until after he woke up.

He stared straight ahead of him with his eyes wide open, suppressing his surprised breaths, while remembering the only part of his dream that caught his attention.

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><p><em><strong>She was the only who didn't care, it seemed.<strong>__** Why-why didn't she care? If there was a specific reason, then he was missing it; could anyone blame him? It was all the same; this happened whenever he was a tot, too. But,**__**he couldn't help his reaction to the girl in front of him, of course. It was an automatic**__**reaction. No matter how much familiarity and warmth he felt around her, he did**__**what came naturally to him.**_

_**"What do you want?" he whimpered, backing away, into the far end of the corner. **_

_**His conscious was screaming at him, though. Why was he acting like this? He'd stopped long ago… but; for some reason he didn't want this girl to get close enough to hurt him… How many civilian kids got close enough to him just to talk to him? None. **_

_**They weren't allowed to come near him with their parents supervising their every move; observing **_**his**_** every move to make sure he didn't do anything aghast or anything that would provoke unbarred hatred, which was hard enough, because the adults already hated him. **_

_**But, what he went over in his head played like a mantra. No one ever just came to him to talk, not even the civilian kids his age; they usually avoided him. So what does she want?**_

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><p>It was a shame that he couldn't remember what the girl looked like, though. All he could remember was her shockingly beautiful blue-black hair and creamy pale skin that resembled a fragile doll's. She'd have put Sakura, whom he had once thought was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen, to shame. Sakura wouldn't hold a candle to the girl.<p>

But, now, Naruto had a different mindset than trying to figure out what his dream meant, and trying to figure out who the girl was, those didn't matter right now. What mattered was, if that girl was real; then there is no doubt that there is someone out there to fight for. Not just to be acknowledged as the Hokage; or as himself… but, someone who he'd fight for, and hold dear to him.

And today, he's going to set out to find her—the beautiful young girl.

"Believe it!" he grinned, watching the sun rise slowly. _Right on time_, he thought.

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><p>Kagome had awoken this morning to a different beat than her usual mood. Usually her mornings were bright and cheerful. Not to mention, she was usually still chipper and in a great mood to learn some new techniques from her sensei. But today, that wasn't exactly the case.<p>

Today Kagome was feeling very sore from the brutal lesson that she'd learned yesterday. She could feel new muscles forming, and the muscles that she had had been stretched and used; she could feel them bulking up. It made no sense that she was so sore, and she hadn't even began to use Chakra swords yet; she did hear that they were the worse training methods ever used.

She knew that it was only a matter of time before Sesshoumaru stepped up the training, and she'd be using Chakra swords and real swords other than the wooden ones, but she hoped that it could wait, because she wasn't exactly in the best shape now days.

Right now Kagome was in the bathroom, trying to tame her hair with a straightener that was powered solely on chakra, while trying to figure out which store she was going to have to visit to buy new attire. Sesshoumaru had told her that she has a day off to get appropriate clothing, and so that he could run some errands. She was just happy that she could get out of training for at least a day… despite the fact that she was going to be spending the day with the younger Taisho sibling instead.

Once she was finished taming her blue-black tresses, she carefully pulled her hair back into a high ponytail before getting dressed 'appropriately'. She knew InuYasha hated to be kept waiting, and he usually fussed her out every time she took forever. Not that mattered; she could care less how mad he gets.

Whenever she was done, she left her room and went to the kitchen where she knew InuYasha and Sesshoumaru was, considering it is Sesshoumaru's house that they're living in. The two kids were just decorations.

"Oi, Kagome-chan," InuYasha grumbled from his bowl of ramen. "It's about time you came out. I bet you could have taken a year if you wanted to."

Kagome rolled her eyes, and sat down at the table before drinking a glass of tea that was set out for her. She didn't even want to reply to him, knowing that she and InuYasha would just get into a pointless argument that always seemed to ensue. Besides, if she'd argue with him, it'd just be a moot point anyways. He always gets it in his head that he wins.

"I want you two at home no later than noon; Kagome, you have to run errands for the Hokage later."

Kagome snapped her gaze up from her drink and eyed Sesshoumaru with both of her eyebrows raised, since she couldn't raise just one. "Why? Isn't that the ninja's jobs?"

InuYasha was just as curious. He's been here, every now and then to visit some relatives with his father; and he knew the duties of most ninjas; the genin mainly, considering their extended family was consisted of ninjas. But of all the time he'd been here he wasn't ever sent out on errands for old man Hokage.

So, either Kagome was meeting someone important; like usual, with her being the hime of the Samurai Nation and all; or she was probably going to be kissing up to some of the council elders to get in on good favors, maybe. But, it wasn't like it was a bad thing; their nation could use some boosters, if he actually thought about it.

"If you have a question having to do with his request, ask the Hokage later," Sesshoumaru sighed. "I know not of why he has called you."

"_Maybe because she's going to be passed off to another clan's heir again,_" though his voice was too low for a human to hear, Sesshoumaru heard InuYasha just fine. And he knew exactly what InuYasha meant.

InuYasha was upset one day years ago whenever he overheard his father and Kaguya talking about how_ another_ clan had requested that Kagome marries one of their high ranked kids. InuYasha didn't even know that it had happened a first time; but he was upset after he heard, and he wouldn't let Kagome leave his side for weeks.

Sesshoumaru knew why he didn't let her go, too; simply being that InuYasha had looked at Kagome as a possession; someone only he could love and give attention to as her significant other. But Sesshoumaru also knew that Kagome didn't pay him any attention whenever InuYasha started to act this way. Hence the reason that InuYasha kept his jealousy to himself, sort of. Sesshoumaru still heard him.

"Well, I guess we won't find out until later, ne?" she responded, having not heard InuYasha's remark. She finished up her tea and patiently waited for InuYasha to finish his dish, while Sesshoumaru looked thoughtfully out the window that was hanging over the sink, and beside the fridge.

It took him a moment, but he finally remembered what he was going to say, "Kagome, after your errands I have someone I want you to meet."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome saluted.

Sesshoumaru glared at her in response to the mock-honorific. She's lucky that he didn't make her train today…

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><p>It was hours later, and InuYasha and Kagome had been to a lot of stores; much to InuYasha's annoyance. And even more annoying, it felt like Kagome had bought up every store that they visited, since <em>he<em> was the one carrying the bags.

But that was only because Kagome kept complaining that if she carried them, she'd come home crippled after just going _shopping_. So, he relented and just carried her bags for her instead of listening to her whine.

It was practically a miracle for InuYasha that Kagome was finally done shopping since she had found some uniform that caught her interest and was appropriate enough for being a samurai girl… and sucking up to grownups…

Heck, they just got done dropping her bags off at the house, and now they were on their way to the Hokage tower to hear what it is that Kagome had to do. Except this time, Sesshoumaru said that InuYasha would probably only have to show her where to go after the Hokage had told them what Kagome had to do. Which, InuYasha didn't mind; he couldn't think straight with Kagome hanging around him all day long.

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><p>The classroom in the Ninja Academy was up in excited titters and gossip again like it was yesterday, Naruto didn't even need to guess why. He heard Iruka-sensei speaking to Mizuki-sensei whenever he first walked into the classroom. He couldn't believe what he had heard at first. It seemed like something someone would make up just for attention or something; but he guessed that since Iruka and Mizuki were talking about it, then it must have been true.<p>

The Daimyo's Daughter was coming to meet his class. Why? Naruto didn't hear that part, but part of him was grinning mischievously on the inside. Maybe his class was going to get an assignment to protect her or something cool like that-he always wondered what it was like to be on a real ninja mission.

Or, he wondered if she was going to be learning in this class with the rest of them. That would have been cool, too. He probably wouldn't talk to her then though, 'cause she's probably like the bastard-child that was Sasuke. But, if she wasn't going to stay here he might make an exception for her. She'd get to meet the future Hokage.

"Alright class, quiet down." Iruka spoke loudly enough for the class to hear, but nobody heeded his order as they continued to converse with their peers. "I said QUIET DOWN!" he yelled, he had his 'Big-head' jutsu working, the jutsu that he always uses in situations like these, and he'd effectively got the class to be quiet.

Mizuki looked around the class once, settling a hard gaze on Naruto, [not that Naruto noticed] before telling Iruka that he had to leave, and he did as he said he would.

Now that the class was quiet, Iruka turned back to them with a small, nervous smile on his face.

"Okay everyone, I'm just going to give you all a heads up," he began, "today we're having a visitor, as ordered by the Hokage. I want you all to be on your best behavior, because you'll be seeing a lot of her around the school. You guys have probably heard of her… Kagome Higurashi…" he looked around the class with a knowing look.

Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno looked abashed as they stared down at their desks. It was partly their fault for everyone hearing that she was going to be coming to their class. How they knew that, no one knows.

"Well, as I was saying; if any of you so much as ruin anything; I'll punish you personally, got it?" He mainly stared at Naruto as he said this, and Naruto knew he was the object of attention just from that warning alone.

"Why is everyone looking at me for?" he grumbled with a small blush on his cheeks.

"Because, baka, you always screw everything up," Sakura answered. "And if you screw things up this time, Kagome-san might not want to come back here at all." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned back to what she was doing before: gazing at the Uchiha.

Everyone else just laughed or glared at Naruto after she finished her reasoning, and Ino just glared at Sakura for staring at _her_ Sasuke-kun.

Naruto just rolled his eyes, and turned back to the front after the laughing fest of was done.

"She should be here in a few minutes…" Iruka muttered.

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><p>Kagome had just arrived to the Academy; after the Hokage had tried to explain to her that she was going to have to visit there from time to time, for some reason that he left as 'To learn some basic skills every other day,'. And whenever she asked why, he replied 'You want to be able to protect everyone, don't you?' She thought that he played a dirty one, by saying that. She didn't want to meet anyone right now, but;<p>

What she wanted to know was why couldn't Sesshoumaru teach her? He knows jutsus and the history of just about every country there is; so why is she going to be learning from a ninja academy. . . Every. Other. Day.

Kagome sighed as she pulled open the door to the room that she had to enter. The room that she felt was marking her fate-her destiny even. But that moment died the second it came.

It was nothing. It was just a classroom filled with students that were staring at her like nobody's business, and the teacher was smiling at her for some reason that she didn't get. So, of course, she blushed from gaining so much attention.

Well, it wasn't hard to gain much attention; it looked like the class was just finishing up a discussion, so it really wasn't difficult to get everyone's eyes on her. She's just attractive that way, right? She internally rolled her eyes. That was a thought that was uncalled for.

"Hello…. Are you Iruka-sensei?" Kagome asked a question that she felt that she already knew.

It was kind of obvious; this was the only class that was still in session for some reason, and every other class; well, there really was none. This seemed to be the only homeroom, and every other class was just that, a class that the beginner ninjas needed to take to become genin.

So was there really a point to asking an obvious question like that? Yes. She didn't want to seem rude. Call her Goody-two shoes; but she won't ever let anyone pin her as rude… It's unladylike, like Sesshoumaru had told her once.

"Hai," the sensei smiled at her.

"Great!" Kagome grinned. "It looks like I'm in the right room…"

The ninja students took the moment to stare and observe her, she didn't look like they thought she would. She was actually pretty civilian-looking; except with much more battle-like clothing.

She wore black leather shorts that came to her mid-thighs and a white-silk tank top under a sea-green off-the shoulder top that was laced with black laces in the front and small kanji on her shoulder that translated to "Samurai of the Tenth Nation- - Higurashi House" and her shoes didn't look like their ninja sandals—they were black leather combat boots—ones that female samurai wore.

Only a few of the boys blushed while staring at the girl, but others just blinked at her owlishly. Even Sasuke just glared at her… for whatever reason he deemed perfect enough to send some innocent girl his hate.

The girls; they had a reaction that Kagome kind of wasn't expecting; while they were glaring jealously at her, much to her disappointment, [she thought for sure that they would!] they were practically glaring at her save for three girls… a blonde, a rosette, and a violet haired girl.

The blonde and pinkette looked as if they were trying to smile at her; trying a bit too hard, actually. Who knows what would happen to their faces if they just decided to stop?

The violet haired girl seemed to bashfully smile at the girl called Kagome and blush slightly; like it was a permanent stain to her cheeks. But, it didn't matter.

These three girls were the only pretty ones that Kagome could tell of; the rest; they were just glaring at her openly, and Kagome didn't really care to ask why. But, other than the few girls that appeared to hate her; Kagome only counted on actually making nice with the three girls that weren't so open about their dislike for her; all she needed was three friends anyways.

"Class, make Kagome-chan feel welcome, alright?" Iruka ordered while staring at the class with a huge smile on his face; he just hopes his class doesn't scare the girl away…

"Hello Kagome-chan!" most of the class greeted.

Kagome nodded and let her head fall before looking around the class for someone who she could hang around, and she found a lucky candidate: the girl with the violet hair and pearly eyes. She'd do.

"Alright Kagome, I want you to take a seat next to…" he looked around the class for a moment before deciding where she was to sit. "Sakura Haruno."

He pointed to the pinkette that was sitting in front a blonde haired boy with bright blue eyes, and sitting beside one of the girls that had already decided to hate Kagome. Kagome was just glad it wasn't directly by the prejudiced girl. She'll deal with the fake pinkette, but the other girl-let's just say she might end up getting detention for, no doubt in her mind about it.

"Well, what I've forgotten to mention before is that Kagome-chan here will only be here on certain days…" Iruka spoke again, dragging the attention off of the small girl sitting in front, and effectively silencing some of the gossipers that were getting ready to whisper. "So, you guys actually won't see her every day."

And after that Kagome's attention was drawn to the lesson that the class was learning that day; something about the Yondaime sacrificing his life for his village to live in a nasty fight against the nine-tailed-fox. This could prove interesting, on her part.

But throughout the whole class period, Kagome didn't seem to notice the bright blue gaze that was burning a hole into her back just from his curiosity alone.

_I've seen her before_, he thought with a slight shock. He wasn't sure where, but he was sure he's seen her…

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry that they aren't moving faster, I'm seriously not the kind of person to rush things that important, like relationships;<strong>

**But yea, don't worry it will happen soon! ^_^ **

**Review… or **_**else**_**! Muahahah! **

**Please? **

**I was kind of having a Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hyde moment there... **

**Anyways… I hope you enjoyed it!**


	5. A New Friend

**Jaken: 68 yrs. **

**Rin: 3 yrs. **

**Shippo: 4 yrs. **

**Konohamaru Corps: 4 yrs.**

**Souta Higurashi: 3 yrs.**

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><p>"<strong>But we kick them to the curb unless they look like <strong>_**Minato**_**," – Edited version of Tik Tok by Ke$ha.**

**Lol, I thought it fit because Minato is ridiculously good looking. *_*'**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: A New Friend… <strong>

The academy's classes are long. It may seem like a dramatic statement, but it was true. Kagome didn't have to stay in class this long whenever she went to school at home. But, wait… this is home now. And, this school's hours was very long.

Even though Kagome knew most of the stuff that they were going over, courtesy of Sesshoumaru ramming information in her mind, there was still so much that she didn't know. And Iruka-sensei deemed it unimportant, so he didn't tell her that she needed to know it.

It was probably because she was only required to learn here three days of the entire week for one month, with only one holiday. Even though she hoped she could get her birthday off, it didn't work that way. Apparently Birthdays aren't holidays to the ninja folk… they're just special days…

But what really irked Kagome was the fact that they had to go out and fend for themselves for lunch. The school didn't have a _cafeteria_. It was just typical that they didn't have any lazy civilian that was decent enough to _at least_ provide some source of nourishment for the kids who were training to protect them someday! Kagome wasn't even going to be at that school regularly, and she had a problem with it.

She grumbled as she ran out of the classroom behind a few of the students that had already gone ahead. They were the ones that introduced themselves as Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba, and Shino. There were a few other boys too, but Kagome paid them less mind than what was needed.

But, there was this onyx-haired guy that Kagome caught an eyeful of. He seemed kind of jerk-ish. The only reason that she caught eye of him was because he kept glaring at her all through the class period.

The blonde, she learned his name, awkwardly enough… and how they were introduced will never be forgotten by her… especially not now, since they only met a few minutes ago…

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><p><em><strong>Kagome sat in her seat trying to figure out where she was going to eat. There were only four kids left in the classroom, now. <strong>_

_**It was the pinkette, Sakura, the onyx haired boy—whom she learned earlier was named Uchiha Sasuke, and some blonde kid with stunning cerulean blue eyes along with Kagome herself.**_

_**Sakura was in the middle of asking Sasuke out to eat while they both headed out of the door… the boy just calmly refused her with a tight-lipped, forced smile. And they continued their conversation as they left the room. **_

_**Kagome was left with the blonde kid sitting behind her with his head laid down on his desk. **_

_**Kagome frowned at the sight. Wasn't he going to eat?**_

"_**Hey, aren't you going to eat?" she asked confusedly. **_

_**The blonde kid raised his head with a crooked smile as his eyes flashed with sorrow, and a pained light. Even through all that, he smiled a semi-sincere smile… Kagome wondered what ever happened to make him that sad… **_

"_**No, I'm not…Higurashi-nee-san." **_

_**Kagome blinked. "It's Kagome…" she muttered. This was the tenth time this week that someone called her other than her name, and she was about ready to blow from all the pent up anger of people getting her name wrong… Seriously; why would anyone forget her name? Apparently she was the talk of Konoha, so there's no reason to forget it. **_

_**The boy blinked at her with uncertainty. "Uh… okay?" he drawled with a small bit of arrogance. "Well… Kagome-chan, I'm not eating right now, I don't have my money…" his voice was filled with false happiness and was thick with a rough undertone… like that of an animal's descent… or like InuYasha's was… that was the only way she could describe it… except; Naruto didn't call her wench. **_

_**Kagome sighed, before looking straight into his eyes and with a newfound determination she walked up to the boy and sat beside him. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name earlier…?" **_

_**The boy looked into her eyes with something akin to realization before he flashed a genuine grin and pointed to himself with renewed enthusiasm: "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! The future Hokage, Believe it!"**_

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><p>But, she supposes even though that was the briefest way to meet anyone, she was just happy that she found a place to eat after that, which is where she was going to now, with her new acquaintance, Naruto Uzumaki.<p>

He was one of the kids that were running in front of her, actually; directly in front of her, to be exact. And, it took her hardly any convincing at all to persuade him to come with her to get something to eat. All she had to say was, 'I have extra money, I wouldn't' mind paying for yours, too. Besides, I don't exactly know where I want to go…'

And instantly Naruto grabbed her hand, eliciting a shiver and a faint blush from the young girl, as he started to enthusiastically tell her about how good a restaurant Ichiraku's was, running both of them to the place that he loves. He even recommended that she get misu ramen as her tester bowl, though he seriously doubts she'd need a tester, Ichiraku's Noodle Shop only served the best!

_From the way he keeps talking about Ramen; I think it's safe to assume he's obsessed with it,_ Kagome thought amusedly. _Either that or he hasn't eaten since this morning…_

The pair dashed to the noodle bar in a flash of black and yellow with much time to spare. But, it wasn't surprising to the people who were manning the restaurant apparently, because it seemed that Naruto always made a quick beeline to the noodle shop.

The old man at the bar was cleaning up pots and dishes behind the counter, while a young lady was handing out some customer a bowl of ramen, not taking her knowing eyes off of the two young kids.

"Hello, Naruto-kun," the old man greeted him, twirling his towel and flapping it down so that it rested on one of his shoulders. "What can I get you two today?"

"Teuchi-san, this is Kagome-chan," Naruto grinned. "She's going to have a Misu Ramen and I think I'll have the same…"

He looked to Kagome to make sure that she was alright with that only to find that Kagome was looking a bit dizzy, from something that he was sure he was missing. Maybe she was sick? Unless she was just very nauseous…wait—why wouldn't she tell him that she didn't like Ramen? Well, that was only if she didn't like ramen, and she'd be crazy not to!

Though, it would have saved her the trouble rather than him dragging her out here, if she didn't. But, Naruto couldn't help but feel a little teensy bit disappointed after the thoughts flew past his mind. He really hoped she liked ramen.

"Hey, Kagome-chan?" he called a little loudly.

Kagome suddenly surpassed the dizziness and she held on to her head for a moment to calm her double-vision before replying to him, "Hmm? I'm fine… it's fine." she smiled at him, though she thought she might have to fight off a headache later from all the spinning…

Meanwhile Teuchi and the young lady were looking at Naruto with surprised eyes, and knowing eyes. Naruto brought a girl to the stand? Well, there must be a first for everything; considering just a few years back he was telling them about how girls had cooties. But, apparently he'd snagged himself a looker.

_Well, I'll be_, thought Teuchi. "Alright, Ayame-chan; two bowls of misu ramen for the young couple,"

Sometime during Teuchi's order to Ayame the two kids had sat themselves down on two stools that were directly in front of the bar with eager looks on their faces and their chopsticks ready to go.

It wasn't until they heard the last part of Teuchi's order that they both snapped their eating utensils in half out of shock with their eyes opened wide.

_Couple,_ they both thought simultaneously.

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><p><strong>AN: I felt like that was a good place to stop it; that's the reason it's not that long.<strong>

**Oh, and sorry that their meeting wasn't all exciting and all, the excitement is being saved for later… ;) **


	6. Someone I Want You to Meet

**AN: Thank you guys for the reviews; they mean a lot to me. :D And sorry for not updating sooner; I wasn't in the mood. -_-' **

**Tsubaki: 48 **

**Bankotsu, Suikotsu: 14 **

**Jakotsu: 13 **

**Gai's Team: 11**

**Legendary Sannin: 58**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: Someone I Want You to Meet <strong>

It was some time after they had left the noodle shop with red-stained cheeks and confused looks on their faces that they had agreed to go their separate ways. Naruto had told Kagome that he had to go train some more, to get stronger, since he'd already had his meal; (he promised to pay her back, but she wasn't rushing though.) And Kagome had set off on her way home. Unfortunately, the extremely long day wasn't anywhere near over.

She still had to meet some people that Sesshoumaru wanted her to meet. Hence he told her earlier that she had to be home early. And if anyone was to look at the time now, they'd note that it was slightly later than "early". In fact, it was probably considered to be "late" by the time she arrived. Especially since she couldn't exactly remember the route she took to get to the school from the 'Kage tower. And no one would ever dream of being dealt with Sesshoumaru's anger; he has a storm whenever that happens. So Kagome did what she could to get home quicker by running fast with chakra already filling the soles of her feet.

She tried to look at everything she passed as she made her way home to make sure she remembered this way for the next time she had to go to school. It was just plain luck that she didn't have to be at the Academy tomorrow. She was a happy Samurai- for now.

She arrived to her house a few blocks afterward, with nothing keeping her from walking inside the house slightly later than what she'd said she'd be there. Well, besides the fear of getting the cold shoulder from her older brothers. But she sighed and toughened up, getting ready for the oncoming verbal assault that she was waiting for from two dogs.

"Might as well face the music," she muttered to herself.

She slowly slid into the house, quietly pushed the door back just enough for her to slide though just as silently as she hoped that she wasn't heard. She tried to tip-toe her way to the stairs quietly after seeing that the inu brothers weren't in the family room, and hadn't even leave a single silver hair in the kitchen. Well;

Fat chance; her luck was never very great whenever she needed it the most.

Sesshoumaru and InuYasha were already standing at the foot of the stairs. The former with a cold glare set on his face and the latter with a deep disapproving scowl marring tight lips before he opened his big mouth, already ready to shout at and argue with her.

"What the Hell, Kagome?" he growled at her. "I'm sure he said get here earlier, it's practically almost midnight!"

Kagome simply raised an eyebrow as she returned his scowl. "It's not even three yet. And besides, I had to eat something."

"That's not the point, Kagome." InuYasha had a very serious look of concern in his eyes, as did Sesshoumaru. Though for what, she didn't know. "This is a ninja village; there's a lot of things that go on here than back at home."

Sesshoumaru sighed. "If you had stayed out any later, InuYasha would have thrown a fit and torn the whole village upside down trying to look for you. Whenever you're done with whatever it is that keeps you out late, you need to head straight home, no breaks or anything."

Kagome blinked before a scowl set on her face as her only reply.

"Knowing you, you'd probably just prance right into a mine field with a happy smile on your face like nothing was wrong with anything," InuYasha took his turn again. "I don't understand why you're so damn careless when you walk around villages that you know have strong shinobi that would do anything to get their hands on something as valuable as—"

"InuYasha, that's enough." Sesshoumaru snarled.

Kagome didn't understand why InuYasha was making a deal of this so naturally she just looked confusedly at him, what was it now? It was always 'you're too careless' this, and 'you're going to get yourself killed' that. This time though, he looked as if he was actually worried about her getting home ten minutes later than she was supposed to arrive. She'd fare better if she says sorry now rather than later.

"I'm sorry,"

After hearing her apologize InuYasha calmed down a little, knowing that he was being a jerk to Kagome; but in his defense he was worried about her since day one. He doesn't need to see another person he loves get taken in front of his eyes whenever he could do something to stop it. He won't allow it. And besides it wasn't her fault that she was special.

"Don't apologize, just get here earlier," he blushed. If she found out that he was actually concerned for her he wouldn't hear the end of it; from Sesshoumaru or Kagome.

"Well, now that that's over with," Sesshoumaru looked toward InuYasha before asking him pointedly, "are you going to Totosei's?"

InuYasha sent one last glare to the two of them before running out the back door with a "I'll be back! Don't think I forgot the last time you tried to get rid of me, Sesshoumaru!"

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><p>Shortly after InuYasha had left, Sesshoumaru had led Kagome out of the house, with her in a more appropriate outfit-a dress-with hardly any breaks in between their travel. Once they were done walking what seemed to be the entire village, they stopped at a huge compound with gates, and huge gates at that. What would anyone need gates for inside of a gated village? A fence, maybe; but <em>gates<em>?

Though, they weren't what Kagome would have called gates though; she didn't know what to call them. They looked like huge brick walls that were carefully built by people who care about their work pretty heavily. The decorations wasn't what could be called decorations either; they were more like something that would mark territory-two Uchiwa fan flags adorned the walls proudly not even waving the wind; that's how proud they were.

She already didn't like it here. If the people in it were any more arrogant than the atmosphere led on, then she was pretty positive she'd hate the place for as long as she lived.

"Kagome, this is the Uchiha Manor," Sesshoumaru caught her staring at the flags with disdain, though he didn't understand why she was frowning at the place. It really wouldn't sit well with his plan for later.

"I kinda figured that out from the Uchiwa fans on the flags." Kagome grinned at him before going back to staring at the gates as they opened slowly, and creepily. Sesshoumaru didn't even get the chance to scold her for getting smart with him, because her attention was now elsewhere.

"Kagome-hime, Sesshoumaru-sama." A man in a Jounin uniform, with onyx black curly hair and crude obsidian irises greeted them as they came closer to the gates. His appearance reminded her of someone that she might have met today; but she wasn't exactly sure if she had met anyone with black hair and black eyes earlier…

Wait, wait-nope. No one comes to mind at the thought of that.

But Kagome was wondering how he knew her name, now. Well, that only took a few seconds before she realized that she was new to the village and with the citizens of Konoha gossiping like nobody's business, of course people would know her name.

"Shisui-san," Sesshoumaru nodded stiffly, with hardened cold eyes.

"It's nice to meet the princess of the neighboring country, ne?" the now named Shisui eyed the young girl. "How old are you anyways? I have a cousin who looks like he's about the same age as you."

"Nine and three quarters." she feigned a smile.

"Wow…" he whistled. "That's almost what; nine and seven eighths?"

Kagome bristled. What did he think he was? His attitude; it was almost the same as the civilians of her old country; though Shisui didn't just say much, she could tell just by the way he was looking at her that he was just as arrogant as the civilians, too.

She was about to retort with a smart remark, but Sesshoumaru gripped her shoulder before she could damage any status that their names already maintained, and tugged her toward the entrance of the manor. "Though we'd love to stay; you're in our way, Shisui. We have to go."

He dragged Kagome at a stiff pace all the way through the Uchihas' land straight to a mansion-like house that was just as dark as everything else in the manor. Kagome wasn't happy that he cut her off and just dragged her around-he knows that she doesn't like being man-handled, and besides; she wouldn't have minded arguing with the Uchiha man from before. But, then again, anything would have been better than this dark place.

_You have got to be kidding me_, Kagome thought with a sweat drop. _This place is almost like its main clutch is pride; and without it they would be nothing_.

Sesshoumaru didn't even have to knock; there was someone already at the door for them; even though they weren't outside yet. The person manning the door seen them coming and they instantly opened the door, and Kagome was genuinely surprised whenever she seen a young boy with black spiky hair and black eyes come into view with tight lips and a glare already set in place on his youthful face.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Sasuke directed the question to Kagome with an emphasis on the 'you', like he was expecting just one person to appear on his door.

_Great_, Kagome thought with a frown. _More of this guy._

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><p>Naruto didn't know what to expect whenever he got home from Ichiraku's after the awkward moment that he and Kagome had earlier. But, he most certainly wasn't expecting a person to be waiting for him outside of his apartment.<p>

It was a blonde busty woman to be exact. And because Naruto doesn't ever get visits from anyone, unless it was for harmful reasons, he unconsciously became cautious so that he didn't accidentally trip any wires that this person may have for his existence.

The thought of ticking someone off unnoticeably made him think of the short, but worth it, break that the civilians had given him from his random abuse sessions, and right after he'd started thinking of it, he instantly stopped himself from thinking. It hurt even worse whenever he thought about it, so he tried not to.

_No more…_ he thought, lowering his tired cerulean eyes. _There has to be another way in… Think, idiot!_

He was about to try to go around the long way, but the woman stepped toward him, causing him to stiffen and subconsciously glare at the person that dared trespassing his boundaries-his personal space.

He just doesn't trust any stranger that was older than him. It took him a lot just to acknowledge Kagome earlier as someone he could lessen his constant guard around, and she was just a kid; the same with the rest of his class. And just thinking of what an adult can do to him made him shiver almost violently.

"Naruto Uzumaki," the woman said in a strong voice her deep warm brown eyes met his blue ones in confidence, and authority. "The Hokage needs you in his office."

"What for? I didn't do anything in days." Naruto was still glaring. "And who are you, anyways?"

The woman's gaze never left his, but her eyes lightened up a bit at his attitude, though for what, Naruto didn't know. "To you, it's Tsunade, anything else and I won't hesitate to knock you, brat." _He reminds me so much of her…_ she thought with a thick revelation in her mind. _Though, he favors his father… eyes, hair and all. What a horrifying mix his looks with the Red Death's attitude._

Naruto flinched, at that. _No one_ calls him a brat and gets away with it…

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><p>Kagome squared off with the young Uchiha, matching his glare minus the hatred that he was exuding. If he wanted to know why she's here he's going to have to ask more politely; Kagome didn't tolerate rudeness, and she's sure that his parents, whoever they were, wouldn't take it either.<p>

"I'm here because I can be!"

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru silenced her with a single claw to her shoulder, drawing a thin drop of blood through her blue-violet, off-the-shoulder dress, and no doubt leaving a stain-not that Sesshoumaru cared. "We're here to see your parents and Itachi." He finished, ignoring Kagome's hiss of pain and glare that was thrown his way. She shouldn't have snapped so easily. He'll have to work with her on that, too during their training.

Sasuke nodded once, and instead of his almost constant glare, he sent Kagome a curious look, as he led them through his home. "Tou-san and Oka-san aren't here. Only aniki is."

"It's fine. She'll just have to meet them later, I suppose." Sesshoumaru grabbed Kagome's hand and they continued into the house. _She'll meet Itachi now, since he is going to be one of the ANBU that are assigned to her, she can meet the clan head and the matriarch later_.

They passed a few closed rooms before Sasuke stopped them at the very last room that's door was slightly opened and had someone occupying the space within. The guy looked a lot like Sasuke; but older, with stress lines on his face and longer hair that was drawn back in a ponytail. He even wore a white vest that looked like it classified him as a special shinobi; Kagome admired it.

"Aniki, Sesshoumaru-san is here," Sasuke tapped twice on the frame of the door, getting his brother's attention, and gaining a surprised raise of his brows.

"Itachi," Sesshoumaru nodded to the younger boy.

"Sesshoumaru," Itachi greeted, letting his curious eyes sway to the young girl that was standing beside his long-time friend. "And who is this?"

"That's Ka-_goat_." Sasuke sneered, while pointing a dainty finger at the girl.

He just didn't understand this girl's behavior; so he thought that if she didn't act like every other girl at the academy; he might as well treat her like one, just so that she would act normal and chase after him. It made no sense, unless she was gay.

And normally he didn't act like this to anyone, so it surprised his older brother to see him act as such, and to a girl, no less. "I'm sorry?"

Kagome was glaring heavily at the jerk that messed up her name. He was in for it now. "My name is Kagome," she spoke slowly, sounding out every syllable just in case he was kind of slow to getting things. "Say it with me now; _Ka-Go-Me_."

Sasuke blinked owlishly at the girl. He knew her name; oh he knew it very well by now. But did she really have to act like he was slow? It only took him a second before he made another conclusion that she was just arrogant; just like that damned Hyuuga clan was. "I know your name," he snapped, finally.

Sesshoumaru sighed, before turning back to Itachi with tired eyes, that girl was just getting in a fight with everyone now days. "I'm going to need you to train Kagome next week."

"What can he do?" Kagome asked, instantly diverting her attention to the older Uchiha brother with genuine interest. If Sesshoumaru trusted this guy enough to train her he must know something, right?

Sasuke huffed, annoyed at being ignored, and he left the room, heading off to Kami knows where; probably so he could go train some more. He doesn't need to argue with that girl anyways.

The second he left Itachi started to school her on what he could do without giving out important information about himself to the young girl. Like his kekkei-genkai, his strengths, and of course the most taboo of telling anyone; his weaknesses. And Kagome was just amazed to be able to listen to it all, while her eyes went all starry as she kept her gaze fixed on the teen-aged boy.

_There's no doubt that I'm going to get stronger_, she inwardly smirked to herself. _Then I'll show tou-san that I can protect this village, and make our home proud!_

* * *

><p>Naruto stood in the office with the woman that he'd just recently met and nicknamed, <em>Granny Tsunade<em>, oh and the Hokage of course. But, he still didn't understand why he was being called to the big office. He really didn't think he did anything wrong, unless it was something that the civilians had made up and tattled about. But other than that, he didn't do anything wrong that he was aware of. So, he was pretty lax whenever he stood in front of the Hokage's desk with his arms crossed stubbornly and his eyes squinted down at the old man before him. "So what am I here for, old man?"

The Hokage just sighed, and puffed his cigar as he met the young boy's gaze. The boy still didn't have much respect whenever he entered his office and he doubt that he ever would show it either.

"Listen brat, he's the Hokage, and you should address him as such, got it?" Tsunade's eyebrows twitched as she glared at the young boy for not talking to her sensei with the respect that he deserved.

"It's alright, Tsunade." Hiruzen spoke, cutting her off before she could continue. "Naruto… It's has something to do with your last orphanage you was in… Naruto, I have someone I want you to see."

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><p><strong>AN: I really want to apologize to every one of you, because I should have warned you that I'm bad at starting stories, that's why it took so long to really get the story started. : **

**So, sorry. **

**I'm only semi-_okay_ at telling them; but terrible at starting them. :D if you liked this chapter, then that's great. **

**If not, I totally understand. I was kind of drawing a blank whenever I wrote this chapter, so I tried my best. [^.^] **


	7. Of all Things

**Warning: Short chapter. Don't complain; I had writers block.**

**Anko: 18 yrs**

**Ibiki: 26 yrs**

**Kohaku: 6 yrs**

**Shizune: 22 yrs**

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><p><strong>Words: 2,395<strong>

**Pages: 6**

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><p><strong>Chapter 7: Of all Things… <strong>

If anything, he really didn't expect that. So in result, Naruto didn't know what to think whenever he heard the Sandaime's words. Naruto was called to the Hokage's office for some reason or other from his previous orphanage; and he has to see someone that has to do with his past… He wasn't exactly sure how that would play out.

If anything, Naruto's mind was filled of violent images of the orphanage parents, and all he could think was that they were coming back to punish him for some unfair reason that no one could even clarify. He frowned.

"Who?"

"Naruto," the Hokage sighed in response. Tsunade had left a few moments earlier to go to the hospital to check on a patient that felt like he was dying. But Tsunade had highly doubted it; he was probably just feeling a bad side effect of anesthetics. Though, Hiruzen could _really_ use her to explain this to the young blonde boy… This wasn't exactly his area of specialty; that was already Tsunade's. "There are a lot of things that was kept from you, even though it was only for your safety…" he trailed off.

He didn't know how to explain it from there. Actually, he was starting to think that maybe Naruto wasn't ready to know who his father was yet. But, it killed him to think that he was keeping even more secrets from Naruto if he'd just sent him out with a lie. He might as well tell him… since his father was awake, and practically demanding to see him. But how will Naruto react whenever he realizes that it was his father that planted the nine tails in him in the first place? Will Naruto be able to connect the events?

"Who is it, old man?" Naruto demanded impatiently.

The Hokage tried to buy some more time, he did. But, the guilt was starting to eat away at him. If Naruto ever got out of hand from the news, he's sure Iruka will help him later… There's nothing he can do about it right now, though.

Hiruzen finally caved as he told him, "I want you to meet your biological father."

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><p>Kagome and Sesshoumaru were now on their way home with busy minds, after many arguments with Sasuke and her; though, surprisingly, Sasuke cooled down a little and treated her a little more politely, and it had nothing to do with the fact that she threatened to sever his body parts with a butter knife; nope, not at all. But, that wasn't what kept Kagome's brain occupied. She was thinking of what Itachi had told her he could do, and she couldn't help but wonder what he was going to teach her.<p>

She already knew how to do a henge; though she wasn't sure why she'd need it—she isn't a ninja, so therefore she wouldn't be going on missions as a spy. Though she was slightly envious of the kunoichi that work under the Hokage's order, she knew that growing up as a samurai was a lot more difficult since she has much more power and chakra to try to harness. And she only get's six years to get it up to a mediate level, and if she exceeds that into an elite level, then she'd get her coronation earlier than anyone else in her nation's history. It was just a coincidence that she got stuck with one of the greatest assassins of all lands as her sensei; she just might reach her goal earlier than she expected, than anyone expected, actually.

Sesshoumaru walked leisurely alongside Kagome as they were headed back to their place. He didn't have much on his mind, but he was trying to come up with a plan to get rid of someone. Not by killing anyone, of course. No, more like the old-fashioned 'hide-from-someone-you-really-don't-want-to-see-right-now' kind of getting rid of.

You see, Sesshoumaru always had this issue; and before anyone can blame him, it's not his fault. He's naturally good looking, and charming, even whenever he's threatening the girl, or guy, that has been in his presence way too long. But, the only thing out of those characteristics that attracts his girlfriend [yes, his girlfriend] was his cold and threatening outer shell that he shows every stranger that crosses his path; and his younger half-brother. He could have sworn the lady is a masochist. But it didn't matter, he loves her very much. He just doesn't have the guts to tell her that, yet. Let alone know how to tell her.

And why is he avoiding her now, you say? Well. Let's just say that he hasn't talked to her in days since he's been out on a mission. It wasn't his fault, technically, he's always busy with Kagome; but she isn't going to believe that. He doubts that she will.

"Sesshoumaru-nii-kun," Kagome asked, absentmindedly added the 'brother' suffix, but Sesshoumaru was too wrapped up in his mind to do anything about it, she could tell. "Why are we walking in circles around the village? I mean, if you ask me, we could have gotten home like an hour ago."

How was he going to answer that? He can't exactly tell her that he's hiding from his psychotic girlfriend. One; she's too young to be stripped of her innocence by hearing of the crazy lady, and two; she wouldn't believe him anyways, she'd just make a smart remark about how he couldn't love because his heart was ice cold.

Though his heart may be colder than other peoples, it wasn't true. He loves his family; and his girlfriend whom he's trying to hide from at this moment. The only reason he's hiding, though, is because she said that she was coming over the next time he doesn't come to see her whenever he gets back from a mission.

"We have to find," he hesitated for a moment before a small smirk grew on his face. "Naraku." _She won't be there_, in his mind, his smirk was much larger than the one that appeared to the world, as he thought of an ingenious plan.

Sure, she visits Kurenai's family compound a lot, but she's probably off to enjoy some dango right about now. Everyone knows that that lady has a sweet tooth nearly all the time, and it keeps her busy. He honestly wonders where she puts all those dumplings…

"Why Naraku?" Kagome frowned. She didn't like him. He always said such perverse and cryptic things to her back at home; only to inform her that she was ugly. That was all there was to it, and not much else. Well, besides the very few times that he actually tries to be nice to her. But, he's still a creeper. All he ever talked about was "more power" and becoming "immortal". It seriously creeped her out…

"Because we're running in the errands that his father assigned me earlier while you were at school." was his reply.

Kagome sighed, and did as she was told, following along her sensei in a flurry of boredom and disappointment while wondering if there was anyone to talk to while at the spider hanyou's house; or at least someone to help her train some more. All Sesshoumaru ever did whenever he was reporting something was report things. It was always boring. She sighed again.

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><p>Naruto didn't know whether he should be proud that his real father is alive; or pissed that he didn't show his face after ten years of his life has already past. Maybe there was a reason for that, Naruto was always trying to find the good in people; he was always trying to excuse people of their wrongs… but he didn't know if he could do it this time. And it's probably because the culprit is related to him by blood…<p>

So, while he was trying to figure out how he should feel about this, the two of them, himself and the Hokage, went to the hospital, of all places; and Naruto being himself, was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he almost didn't realize that they were walking through the hospital. But, it was the pristine white walls gave it away; that and the smell of blood.

_Wait, the hospital?_ Naruto thought a little guiltily as he tried to think of a better reason for arriving there. But, there was none. The old man didn't say that they going anywhere else, except to meet his father. And it just so happens that his father is in a hospital…

A few more floors later; at the top of the hospital, almost; they stopped at the door to a room that was marked, _ELITE EMPLOYEES ONLY_ that had a do not enter sign hung from the doorknob. There was a few noises coming from the room. Naruto could only distinct two. But, he couldn't really tell what they were talking about; he was too shocked to be meeting his father.

The Hokage went first, slipping his head through the door to alert the other two that he had arrived. "He's here." He said gruffly. Apparently the ones inside the room were expecting Naruto, because it suddenly got quiet inside the room, and the Hokage walked in, dragging Naruto's hand along with him, while gently yanking him into the room.

Naruto kept his head down, he didn't want to say anything, not yet; not whenever he wasn't even sure how to feel whenever he finally does introduce himself; it only served him to be a little nervous. What if his father was like the civilians of the village with all of their hate aimed at him? What if his father didn't like him whenever he first met him? Naruto was only preparing himself for something he considered to be the only results in meeting any new adult…. Well besides that old lady—Tsunade.

"Naruto," the Hokage said, while looking down at the young blonde. "This is your father; Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage…"

Naruto snapped his gaze to look up at who the Hokage was talking about; it wasn't hard to pick out his 'father's' face. The man was his idol; it wasn't hard to know who he was. But, the reason he had this reaction was because in the Academy it was always told that he died, while sealing a demon in a kid. Or maybe he just heard the story wrong? "There's no way in hell." he ground out with surprise.

There he was; the fourth Hokage… in all his blondeness and blue eyes… much like Naruto's own, except their eye shapes were a bit different; Minato's was narrower… Naruto's were wider with childish innocence, the way Minato's once was, but time must have changed them.

"Naruto, language." The Hokage snapped at him in exasperation, when in reality he was actually relieved that Naruto didn't put the two pieces of his early life together. He felt bad for keeping it from him, but what good will anything do if he found out that his father sealed a demon inside his body?

"Naruto…" the man tested the name from his tongue. He was still in his hospital gown, his head band lying on the table beside him, and he was still lying in his hospital bed with the covers pulled over him, as the machine he was connected to beeped at a steady rate; one that assured his living condition. "I guess you really weren't lying whenever you said that he's grown…"

Naruto didn't hear one word that the man said, but he rushed over to his side, and took both of his 'father's' arms in bother of his hands and he fixed him with a steady stare. "Okay, so what if this guy's my father? He can't prove it." He muttered to the third hokage and the gray-haired man that was now standing beside the hokage.

The man that Naruto didn't know began to laugh with booming laughter. In what emotion; Naruto couldn't tell. It sounded pretty forced to him. "Oh, he's your father alright… There's no need to prove it, brat. You act the same as-"

Hiruzen cut him off there, "Jiraiya, isn't there something you need to do?"

Minato himself was just as guarded as what Jiraiya had been about to say…

"Well, not exactly; I was just going to catch up with my favorite pupil, sensei." Jiraiya grinned. "But, if you want me out of here. I could take up the nearest bathing rooms; seeing that Minato is alive after all…"

Minato and Hiruzen sweat dropped.

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><p>Kagome never did catch on to Sesshoumaru's jittery and paranoid behavior on the way to their destination. Matter of fact, she hardly paid any attention to him at all; she was always greeting the civilians that were worthy enough to be greeted with a smile. It was the only thing she <em>could<em> do while going to a place that she easily gets bored; and the worst that Sesshoumaru had to live through and hear especially with her loud voice. Oh, and she could be very loud whenever she feels it's necessary.

Lucky for Sesshoumaru's poor sensitive ears, now wasn't one of those times. So he could be in some-what peace, now that he had finally calmed himself down. Because, really, there was no way that _she_ would find him, was there?

…

Halfway to the Yuuhi compound though, he sensed it. The deep feelings of adrenaline rush whenever he caught the snuff of aphrodisiacs at an herb store in the air. The one smell that he hated, but he'd dealt with because he was addicted; to his girlfriend, not the sleeping drugs.

She found him.

"Sesshoumaru!" her childish, loud voice rang clear as she stepped out of a nearby store. "I feel insulted to find that you were trying to avoid me…" she pouted as he and Kagome turned around in astonishment at the voice.

"Anko-chan…" Sesshoumaru sighed in defeat.

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><p><strong>AN: Heheh. Sorry guys, I had writers block again! -_- <strong>

**And finally my school is on break for Thanksgiving! Whoot! **

**I might update sooner if I didn't have writers block… but any who, if the chapter isn't good enough; that's why. **

**Review? **


	8. Sesshoumaru

**AN: If any character seems OOC, remember; Character progress/development!**

—**This is a gift to all of you that hung in there, and my new readers (if I have any) Thank you for reading! But I warn you, my "come-back" chapter is very short. and I'm sorry about that, but this is just a filler for now, a short filler. ^.^**

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><p><strong>Chapter 8: Sesshoumaru's Lover<strong>

"Well?" Anko tapped her foot steadily on the ground. "You weren't trying to avoid me, were you?"

"Of course not…" Sesshoumaru muttered a bit darkly at his luck, and looked to the little girl that was flabbergasted beside him. He was half expecting to hear Kagome ask him who Anko was. But, she was probably too shocked to say anything. Though Sesshoumaru always avoids girls, she's even seen so for herself.

"Who's she?" Anko continued her interrogation, looking to the little girl that was still staring.

After a while of staring and gaping at the older female, Kagome sucked up her surprised behavior and stuck out her hand, politely as she was raised to do.

"My name is Kagome Higurashi," she chimed the woman with a bright smile, and bowing to her as she saw her as someone to be honorable of, if she's caught Sesshoumaru's attention and affections. Right…?

"Aren't you a cute thing?" Anko scrunched her nose a bit, but she smiled back, showing her slightly sharper canines outside of her mouth and startling the young girl.

Kagome decided she already liked the woman. This comfort that she was getting from most of the people in Konoha was shocking her. Though, she deeply reminded Kagome of Naruto; she had more of a cold, defensive-like combined with warm, protective-like aura about her.

It was comforting because growing up around InuYasha had taught her to feel comforted around that aura. Which, now mentioned; it's probably why she felt comfortable around Naruto. Her grin widened as she fetched Anko's hand and thought nothing of what came out of her mouth.

"Say, Anko-nee-chan; Sesshoumaru-nii hasn't fed me yet. I'm in the mood for oden, how about you?"

The woman was startled, she forgot all about why she was searching for Sesshoumaru in the first place as she was being dragged down the pathway, but she heard his irately annoyed sigh and she smiled triumphantly thinking giddily to herself, '_Payback is a mother, Fluffy-kun_'.

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><p>Naruto was sitting on his father's bed. It was finally a relief to call someone that… his father. He felt proud thinking that his <em>own father<em> was the Yondaime. The Fourth Hokage, and even though Naruto's announced to everyone that he was going to surpass all of the Hokage put together, he still honored his father, and considered him a hero.

Jiraiya had gone away with the old man, and Naruto was staring in disbelief at his father, which he is now getting the chance to know. But, he couldn't help but wonder, since he _isn't_ in fact dead, would he go back to being Hokage? That would mean that everyone would know the Yellow Flash is alive…

"I can't believe you're my father…" Naruto mumbled out loud in shock.

Minato let a small smile curve his face. It was a start.

"I'm sorry about not being here when you most needed me, Naruto-kun." He frowned. "When you were growing up, I was sitting here in the hospital." '_After I sealed your fate…_' he continued mentally with guilt glazing over his eyes, but Naruto assumed it was for not being there to watch him grow up, which it was the reason, partly.

"Heh; well, you're awake now!" Naruto grinned, reminding Minato of the red head he'd lost. And, Naruto saw his father's smile falter before coming back stronger, but he didn't say anything about that. "Ano-se…tou-san? … Can I ask you something?" he felt right calling him father, and the warmth that enveloped whenever he did gave him a little more confidence.

Minato scratched the back of his head in a way that Naruto recognized, partly because he did it himself as a nervous habit.

"Sure," he laughed finally.

Naruto knew what he wanted to ask, but he decided that now wasn't the right time, seeing as his father only just woke up, and probably wouldn't tolerate what

"What was it like to be Hokage?"

Minato was shocked, but he let a grin spread on his face before he went straight in to telling his son about the office life.

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><p>Anko had decided to drag Kagome around the entire land after they had eaten, to every single military shop there was down the main pathways of Konoha. She was lucky that Anko had decided to pay for everything; and lucky she didn't really have to pay attention to everything, because Anko was asking her about her life, and doing all the work with the traveling as Kagome rode on her back, piggyback style.<p>

First there was an outfit that Kagome was sure that she was going to get reprimanded for, it was shorter than the outfit she wore during her first training. But, the rest that Anko had picked out for her was just as short. Anko had kept muttering to her that a Kunoichi must be somewhat provocative and distracting whenever they hit their teenage years, only for Kagome to keep reminding her that she's not a kunoichi.

Right now, they were sitting in Anko's apartment with all of Kagome's outfits laying out on her bed, as Anko asked her one last question that she wanted to know.

"So, how is Sesshoumaru-kun your brother?" she asked with genuine curiosity.

"He's my tou-san's friend's son. That basically explains our ties." Kagome grinned.

"Then you can call me Anko-nee-chan!" Anko proclaimed proudly. Any family of her lover's is family to her.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the short, filler-like chapter. :p I thought I owed you guys for not updating for forever. But, the good news is that I'm on Summer Break, so I'll have more time to write. (: I'm getting started on the next chapter. It might be a time-skip, though.<strong>


	9. Extensive Training and Secrets

**AN: Thank you for the reviews, the advice on whether I should keep going. I appreciate it. (: BUT: This Chapter is a ****One Year Time-Skip****. **

**Kagome & Rookie 9: 10-11years old **

**Team Gai: 12 years old**

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><p><strong>Words: 2,500<strong>

**Pages: 6**

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><p><strong>Chapter 9: Extensive Training and Secrets<strong>

Kagome's first year in Konoha had been kind of rough what with the way Sesshoumaru had trained her rigorously, making sure he put knowledge of battle through her mind. But, she had learned well from her sensei and her form and skill had improved. But, though she's moved on to a higher level, Sesshoumaru still couldn't trust her enough with a real sword, so they were still practicing with the wooden swords. And if Kagome's form was a sign of her improvement, then Kagome actually landing a hit on the older samurai was something that was astonishing, it proved her skill level at most. Either she was an excellent learner, or she was one of those special cases, like those prodigies that Naruto often heard about.

Naruto was now watching the two as they were in one of the training grounds engaging in an all-out wooden sword fight. If it wasn't for the fact that they were fighting with wood, Naruto would have reacted differently than his excitement he was exuding now.

He knew cheering for his newfound best friend was useless, since she was fighting against an assassin, but that didn't matter. "Come on, Kagome-chan! Kick his ass!"

Sesshoumaru didn't pay the boy any mind, having gotten used to Naruto's mouth the previous year whenever Naruto started to accompany them whenever he trained Kagome. Though the youkai wouldn't say anything of it, the boy had helped Kagome improve just by being there, which is why Sesshoumaru didn't rip the boy apart for being there now. If Naruto helped her in her skill level just by being present, then his teaching will no doubt be easier. The two children's bond was surprising in its original form to Sesshoumaru.

The two were practically bound to each other by an invisible force, despite the fact that they could hardly see each other due to the fact that Hokage was often calling Naruto out for days on end, and Kagome's training with her many senseis. But, it was obvious to Sesshoumaru that they'd be outstanding partners in battle, almost like whenever InuYasha and Kagome had to take care of some of the bully's back on her father's land. They worked together like glue; and Sesshoumaru knew that Naruto would most likely be the same.

Kagome panted as she dodged one of Sesshoumaru's attacks, knowing that she shouldn't have because he ended up poking her thigh with the blunt tip of the sword. And she already knew it was a vital spot, because Sesshoumaru had taught her all about every vital spot on the body having said that she needed to know them, in order to end a battle quickly.

Sesshoumaru's wooden sword was laced with his youkai ki, not enough to kill his pupil, but enough to paralyze her leg, just by hitting one of her ki networks. His ki was forced to move into her network, and since their ki didn't mix—pure vs. impure—it caused her system to stop moving the pure energy to her thigh, in which case, caused her energy divide the foulness from the pure part of her network. Of course, this would wear off in about thirty minutes, seeing as he hadn't used too much of his ki, but it was painful for Kagome, none the less.

Kagome had gritted her teeth to keep a whimper from coming out. She knew what he did; he often did it after her first week of staying in Konoha. He trained her to learn to do it, too actually. She just wasn't expecting him to do it in this training session, is all… She limped back into her stance, despite only being able to move one of her legs, and the rest of her limbs. She knew this ki attack wouldn't last too long; he refused to use his full energy on her.

"Aw!" Naruto pouted, off some few yards away now, after Kagome and Sesshoumaru had leapt around the training grounds, making it their battle field. "Kagome-chan! You can do better than that! Expect the Unexpected!" he knew she didn't expect that energy attack, he knew from the shock on her face whenever she was hit. Almost like reading her mind, Kagome was like an open book to him.

Kagome's teeth ground together to keep back her retort.

"Expect the unexpected," she quietly scoffed, though both youkai and shinobi-in-training had heard her. "I'll show you to expect the unexpected."

Holding up her wooden sword, she wasn't sure if it'd work—but she tried pumping her ki through the sword, wishing that it didn't take so long. Of course she had learned to do this during her half year mark, but she didn't do it often, though right now she was sort of pissed at her pseudo brother. He hardly ever attacked her with his youkai ki.

The wooden sword soon started to glow a dull pink, making the young girl frown. Part of her network was down, and would be for some time, meaning she has less ki than usual to work with at this point but that didn't matter. She forced her ki to start traveling faster, slowly getting exhausted, but never giving up.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru warned in a low, cold tone. He was standing upright now watching her with expectant, and scolding eyes.

"You probably shouldn't do that, Kagome," Naruto was slightly edging away from the vicinity with nervous eyes; the pain of him being near their fight didn't start until Kagome started pressuring more of her energy into the sword. _Kagome's chakra hurts me, _Naruto thought walk backing away, even though there was a good few yards between them.

He was meaning to ask his father about the ones whose chakra hurt him, but he didn't want him to get the wrong idea. Naruto loved being around Kagome, and he'd hate to have to cut the time he'd spent with her, especially since they'd grown close in just the short time of one year. But, now he was starting to think he's going to have to ask his father about it, no matter what. Would this mean that Kagome is dangerous to ninja? Well, she _is_ a samurai, and from what he knows, they're dangerous by nature…

"Kagome, tone it down or I'll do it for you." Sesshoumaru barked his order. He noticed that Naruto was getting edgy, and put on alert, if the defining of his whiskers and flashing of his eyes was anything to go by. But he himself wasn't really affected by it; it'd take a whole lot more pure energy to get him to feel uncomfortable, not that Kagome knew that.

Kagome wasn't paying much attention, she heard Sesshoumaru and Naruto speaking to hear, but she was hesitant to stop, the energy just kept flowing in reaction to her soul, heedless of her mind's order. _I should stop_, she frowned she watched her ki flow slow, and let the sword drain back to its original wooden structure. Now she was starting to feel the effect of using too much of her energy at once. She was sure she was going to fall over, and she hadn't even retaliated yet.

Sesshoumaru shook his head, and caught her before she fell.

"Naruto," he began, picking up the wooden swords. Naruto was now walking back to the pair, still on alert, but his eyes were looking up at the older man curiously. "Kagome's ki isn't something to be discussed with anyone other than those who know of it. She doesn't have the proper training to control it as of yet, give it time." He frowned with a sleeping Kagome held bridal style, before turning away, and walking back to their apartment, already knowing that the boy would heed his warning.

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><p>Whenever Sesshoumaru and Kagome had left, Naruto was called back to the Hokage's office, third time in a row this week. And even though Sesshoumaru practically warned Naruto not to tell anyone of Kagome's energy, Naruto was feeling a bit unnerved having to keep it to himself.<p>

Despite not having any ill intent to his friend, something inside him made him feel angry at the raw energy that had him almost hightailing to hide. He was sure he should tell somebody, since he felt threatened, but he couldn't. He didn't want to tell anybody. He's sure she'd get control of her energy soon enough.

In front of Naruto now, was his father—the Yondaime—the Sandaime Hokage, and the old man Naruto had learned to call Jiraiya the previous year, all wearing grins on their faces. Naruto looked at them confusedly before scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Naruto, take a seat." The Sandaime said around his pipe.

It was obvious he wanted to talk to him this time, unlike the previous time he was there and was called to go to the hospital to ask for Tsunade. He unconsciously shuddered as he thought of the beating he took for calling her 'Granny Tsunade' but he soon found that his nickname _did_ serve a purpose, as she had started to age a bit more quickly than usual people's from holding her de-aging jutsu for a long time. _Keh; old women_, Naruto thought with a shake of his head.

"Naruto, we thought you should be here for us to announce to you," the Hokage was the first to let his grin dim to a faint smile, as he looked pointedly at Minato. "Well, before we announce anything to anyone else."

"Minato get's to go home, gaki." Jiraiya full out grinned happily, leaning on his sensei's desk to support his joyful figure. Both Sarutobi and Minato rolled their eyes at this before Minato continued for him.

"Although, I have to work to get my Hokage title back," Minato smiled sheepishly. "Until it is questioned, my identity shall remain secret, Naruto-kun."

Just as Naruto was about to reply, there was a tap at the window that overlooked the village, and everyone's attention was drawn to a silver-headed ninja with a mask covering half his face and hitai-ate covering one of his eyes from sight.

Coal black met cerulean blue, before meeting another set of cerulean blues as he looked from his former sensei, to his former sensei's son, before looking at all of the occupants of the now seemingly suffocated room. "Hokage-sama; Jiraiya-sama; Minato-sensei; Naruto," everyone else nodded in return, but Naruto had a different reaction.

Naruto looked bewildered. "Who are you?"

It wasn't his fault. He never did meet his father's protégée. Kakashi and Minato had always met up whenever Naruto wasn't around for a briefing of his son's dealing with the Kyuubi, and how people had reacted, up until the beginning of this year.

"Naruto, this is Kakashi Hatake." Minato answered with a winning smile on his face. He had already talked to the Hokage about post academy graduation exams, and helped discuss the teams, in other words, he was planning to have his former student teach his son. Though, he would do it himself, it was obvious the Sandaime was getting too old to continue as the Hokage, and he had to work back up to his old shape to take his place. It just seemed fitting to the older blonde.

But it seemed that Naruto didn't linger on who Kakashi was for too long, because something else was bothering him. It made his confident air drop a little bit if not a lot, and he stood up from the plastic chair he sat in and pointed accusingly at the Copy Nin, surprising everyone in the room.

"So, he knows the secret, too!" _I thought I was the only one that knew_, he thought sadly, almost completely forgetting about what Sesshoumaru had warned him about Kagome's secret earlier on in the day.

Everyone deadpanned as they rubbed their ears from the abuse of the brash, and unnaturally loud sound.

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><p>Upset. That's what Anko Mitarashi was feeling right now. One of her friends was planning on dropping by, and she brought up something that had to do with Kagome, it was something about overload of chakra, or something like that. Anyway, that didn't matter. What mattered was that it had something to do with Kagome and it upset the crazed kunoichi.<p>

During the past year, Anko had formed a nearly unbreakable sisterly bond with the young girl. She'd seen so much of her around Sesshoumaru that she didn't think twice about getting close to her.

So, naturally whenever, an honorable kunoichi/slayer had worriedly commented on the overwhelming energy that she felt around training ground 10 on her way there—where Anko had known Sesshoumaru and Kagome were training, Anko had automatically gone into protective body guard overdrive; which brings her to where she is now.

Anko stood influentially behind a very stiff Sesshoumaru, as he finished up putting away a particularly heavy sword and armor set. The amount of killing intent that she was leaking was nearly overpowering, partly because the presence around her neck was practically begging for attention, having a murderous mind of its own. He knew that she didn't do it on purpose; in fact she tried to get rid of it. So, he didn't leak any killing intent of his own. She wouldn't be able to take it, he assumed.

"What happened earlier?" despite being angry, Anko's voice was credibly calm.

"Kagome and I trained," Sesshoumaru let a small smirk on to his features, not letting her see it.

But, oh, she knew it was there.

"Yeah, I'm aware of that," Anko's eyes drifted down the hallway to Kagome's room door where she felt the girl's energy signal in calm waves, meaning that she was fast asleep. "But what was that energy spike? You didn't over do it again, did you?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed red, but he didn't answer her, and turned to face her, his golden eyes holding pride, but he expectantly met her gaze.

Anko frowned.

"I overdid nothing. Kagome merely lost control of her sword. Thus she forced herself into exhaustion," he tilted Anko's chin up to meet his intense gaze after she turned her head away at his answer. "Kagome needs to learn control, one way or another. You know this."

"But having her release that much ki in Konoha is dangerous, Sesshoumaru, there're spies out there, and having them know about Kagome is like putting her in center on a silver platter for these guys." Her thoughts went to one person in particular, a man pale as sheet white and snakes eyes with his feminine form. _Orochimaru in particular_, she mentally growled. "It's not good having her train so openly. . . Especially since Sango-san had felt the sheer force of it from the outskirts of Konoha."

Sesshoumaru merely let her see a shadow of a smile, and Anko frowned even deeper.

"She's almost ready to defend herself," he assured her before walking off in the general direction of Kagome's room, with Anko in tow.

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><p><strong>AN: So? I just updated yesterday, and now I have this chapter done in one day. I'm getting good at this. I'm kinda working my way back up to long chapters! (^-^)' I'm proud of myself. :)<strong>

**Reviews are like gas for cars, I'll probably update (drive) faster when I get more. ;) or just really good reviews in general. those work, too. :D**


	10. Iruka's Class Project

**This is another one-year Time Skip. **

**Time Skips won't happen much after this chapter, Rookie 9 is finally old enough to graduate. The next time skip won't be for **_**a long while**_**… so enjoy! **

**WARNING! VV**

**Kagome: 11**

**Rookie nine: 11-12 **

**In other words, everyone is two years older than what they started out as.**

**Words: 2,000 **

**Pages: 6**

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: Mission Impossible; Iruka's Class Project! <strong>

Kagome had only been in Konoha for two years. Now, she's a bit more noticeably better than she was whenever she first came here. Her trainings with Sesshoumaru were holding up pretty well. And by the time Academy Graduations are held, she should be able to get her first sword. Though, she wasn't going to be expected to use it too much. She's still young.

But right now, that wasn't what was on her mind, or had her attention in any way.

"Okay. Everyone, hold up your leaf."

Everyone picked their leaves up off their desks and turned back to the class as Iruka-sensei held up his own leaf in front of him. They tried to hide the confusion on their faces, but they failed. Iruka noticed.

"This is what I want you to do." Everyone watched closely as Iruka concentrated on the leaf. "Force some of your energy into the leaf… and watch as it …"

They watched in surprise as Iruka's leaf, along with their own, showed kanji that was now inscribed on the front of the leaf.

"…Does that. Whatever your leaf says, you have to play that part, okay? Alright, starting with Naruto," he looked toward the young blonde, sitting in his desk at the front of the classroom. "Read what your leaf says."

Naruto's nose scrunched up in disgust; "A janitor."

Everyone laughed thinking that they were lucky they weren't picked to be something that lousy. Half the kids were hoping that they were one of the chosen shinobi, so they hadn't looked at their leaf yet.

Iruka didn't laugh though. "Kagome," he looked to her.

"Secretary?" it came out like a question, her blue eyes uncertain, and she was trying to find the trick.

"Sasuke," Iruka continued.

"Executive Officer," Sasuke laid his leaf down. Just what was their sensei up to? Sasuke was thinking somewhere along the lines of Naruto had better not gotten into trouble, causing the entire class to pay for it, again.

"Sakura,"

"Janitor's wife," she frowned before turning her head to glare at Naruto.

Iruka lifted his head to look at the group of students sitting behind the four he'd just called on. "Shikamaru?"

"Chief Executive Officer,"

"Ino?"

"Secretary," sounded Ino's surprised reply, invoking a glare from Sakura, as she glared back and forth between Ino and Kagome. Why were they the two secretaries for Sasuke-kun? Even though their leaves didn't say it, Sakura was pretty sure that the secretaries were for the executives. She was upset.

"Hey! Hold on a minute!" she interrupted Iruka before he could call on the next person. "What does this have to do with anything? And why are there two Secretaries?"

"Hey, Sakura-_chan_, why don't you mind your own leaf, alright?" Ino retorted looking directly down at the back of the pinkette's head before muttering quietly what sounded like, "Billboard brow."

Iruka sighed in annoyance before meeting Sakura's gaze. "I'll explain once everyone tells what they have. Now; Chouji?"

"Civilian Shop Owner."

The next row over, front seats all the way to the back, sat a bunch of random kids that no one really knew. Iruka got what they were before moving on to the next row after the middle row to the front seat occupants again.

"Shino?"

"Police,"

Everyone blinked at the way he said it, but they didn't pay too much attention to it, they knew he was a bit odd.

"Hinata-chan?"

"Land l-lady," she looked down in what Naruto assumed to be embarrassment, but Iruka went on to the last kid.

"And, Kiba?"

"Exterminator,"

Naruto giggled a bit at that, earning a few stares from his group that he was sharing a desk with. He didn't even bother looking up to explain why he was laughing. He just couldn't picture Kiba as an exterminator. He'd look too goofy.

"Alright, now, I'll explain," Iruka told them coming back around to pick up the leaves. "For rest of this school week; today and tomorrow really, you're going to play your role, and you have to act your part inside and sometimes outside of class. You can be yourselves at your house; the Hokage's office; and inside other buildings, it's permitted because you shouldn't stay in character too long people won't know what's going on.

"But anywhere else; like outside, for example, if you lose your character, I'll know if you gone out of character, because whenever you entered your chakra into the leaves, it was laced with your chakra signal. Any questions?"

"Yeah…" Sakura began, raising her hand. "Is this some kind of game?"

"Yeah; you can think of it that way," Iruka scratched the back of his neck with a small grin on his face. This teaching exercise is new, and the Hokage had wanted the teachers to try it with their classes now, just for safety precautions. But they didn't need to know that they were being tested. "So, let the games begin!"

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><p>This was their last class of the day with only an hour left, and Kagome and Naruto were still thinking about how they were going to act like their person without breaking character. They had no idea that everyone else was having the same problem, which is why everyone was quiet. Well, up until now, <em>mostly<em> everyone was quiet.

Sasuke was walking away from his desk when a piece of crumbled up paper fell from his desk down to the floor from the disturbed air that Sasuke had left behind briskly to move to someone else's desk. Naruto had caught sight of this, and just because he hated the bastard, he lifted his fist and started shaking it mercilessly at the boy.

"Look! I don't care who you are bastard! Come back here and pick up your mess! I'm getting tired of cleaning up after high-up chumps like you!" he glared.

Kagome and everyone else that was still in the classroom turned to face him and Sasuke as Sasuke turned to glare back at him. That action alone gave this fight more fuel. The other students were surprised Naruto was already acting like his character with only one kick start; a piece of paper… though everyone knew Naruto really hates Sasuke…

But, it came as even more of a surprise whenever Sakura began to join in with him, only going _against_ the loud blonde.

"Don't yell at him, idiot! He's an executive officer! He could cause you to lose your job, and then we'll be living in some dark alley with the rest of your family!" she yelled at him, reaching out and grabbed his shoulder, forcing Naruto to look into her fierce sea-green eyes. "And we know that I don't like your family."

Everyone else watched in shock, it was typical that one of Sasuke's fan-girls supported Sasuke, but then, shockingly, Sasuke replied with a very in-character reply of his own.

"If I had wanted you fired and your family put out on the streets I would have done it already. Don't waste my time." Sasuke met Naruto's glare and Kagome decided to pipe up for the adorable-looking blonde whom was her best friend in life outside of this random academy game.

She reached out and wrapped her arm around Sasuke's waist, and got a business look on her face.

"Sempai, let's not start anything, there's people looking. We'll be a spectacle for everyone to see," she began, but Ino cut her off.

"Shh! If boss wants them fired, he could have them fired!" her empty blue eyes were in a wicked glaring match with Kagome, before she looked to Kagome's arm around 'her' Sasuke-kun. "Besides, this is the most interesting action I've seen all day!"

"But, to have people lose their jobs over something as little as this?" Kagome frowned, looking toward Naruto with a pleading look.

Sasuke shrugged out of Kagome's embrace, and walked over to Naruto. "This loser wouldn't mind finding a new floor to maintain as a custodian. It isn't that hard."

Iruka sat and watched from behind his desk with an interested gaze. It figures Naruto would start trouble, but Iruka found that he was surprised Naruto kept in character, even if he was just out to get back at Sasuke from their taijutsu class earlier. Iruka was impressed with the young ninja. Good tactic, for now.

"Why, you-!" Naruto began about to walk forward, with Sakura's grip still held tight on his shoulder, and it only seemed to get tighter.

"Did someone call for an exterminator?" Kiba called, not wanting to be left out of this interesting fight. This was the best they've had in class yet; and they hadn't even thrown any punches!

"No!" everyone that was already involved in the argument yelled at him.

Kiba flinched back in disappointment.

"Well, e-excuse me, Executive-san," Hinata began, walking forward with a few blank papers in her hands. "But, before you fire Janitor-san, you should probably get back to w-work," the Hyuuga heiress looked down bashfully after giving the executive an order, despite being below him at this moment, for this 'game'.

"This is troublesome," Shikamaru sighed.

Kagome's eyes brightened up with excitement before she spoke with more calm than she was feeling.

"I suggest you settle this over tea," she put her index finger to her chin, looking thoughtfully to the ceiling. "This dispute over whether or not sempai has to clean up his mess should be settled."

Shino looked around at everyone with a blank look on his face. Shikamaru looked to Chouji with an expectant look on his face as the plump boy stuffed his face with his bag of chips while watching the other kid's interactions while they kept their character.

"Why can't it be settled right now?" Naruto's cerulean blue eyes flashed in frustration.

"Fine by me, loser," Sasuke smirked.

Naruto got into a battle-ready crouch, as did Sasuke, but Iruka-sensei saw this and decided to cut them off before they did some real damage just seconds before the bell rang.

"Alright, that's enough. Class is dismissed," he hid his grin from all of his students as they all rushed to get home, just so that they could be themselves again.

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><p>Kagome and Naruto had split up after Kagome walked him to the Hokage's office, then made her own way home. She couldn't understand why Iruka made them play this 'game' it was very difficult for any of them to keep in character. But on her way home, she stayed quiet, and at least walked with some sort of sophistication. She has to look smart to play her part, right?<p>

The second she got to her house, she went straight to the weaponry closet and searched for the wooden sword that she grew accustomed with, she could practically sense Sesshoumaru in the other room, but she figured he was helping her out a bit. She knows he knows that she's there. It's why he helped her by leaking the smallest amount of ki.

It only took seconds before he was behind her, reaching for his own wooden sword, and placing his hand on her head.

"Do you think that we can train inside today?" Kagome asked hopefully leaning back, and looking up to Sesshoumaru. Barely noticing that now she came up a little past his stomach where as she used to come up to his waist nearly two years ago.

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"Because I won't be able to talk otherwise," she decided to leave it at that. "We're doing this game in the academy and if we do something that we're not supposed to then we're out of the game," she wasn't sure about being out of the game, but that was all that she could come up with, she didn't want the inu demon to think that she couldn't act. So why not tell a false story?

"Hmm…" Sesshoumaru hummed. "I guess so; just try not to aim for the shoji doors like you did last time,"

"I didn't aim for the doors!" Kagome argued, turning around and heading for their indoor training grounds.

"Of course you weren't, 'Gome-chan," he replied nonchalantly.

Today, she didn't expect Naruto to come over to watch her train, seeing as he'd have to act like a janitor whenever he gets there. She locked their front door on her way to the training room in a bit of disappointment, before she grabbed her armor off the shelf near the door.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ehehheheh; this was a fun chapter to write. :D The next chapter <span>IS NOT<span> going to be a time skip. They're 12 now, which is where some of this is taking place. **

**And, most things are going to be set into action at this time… I can't tell you what, but you'll see. This chapter was mainly a fun chappy though. **

**So… ? review?**


	11. Never Back Down

**-Previously- **

"_Is this some kind of game?" _

"_Yeah; you can think of it that way," Iruka scratched the back of his neck with a small grin on his face. This teaching exercise is new and the Hokage had wanted the teachers to try it with their classes now, just for safety precautions. But they didn't need to know that they were being tested. "So, let the games begin!"_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11: Never Back Down<strong>

The Sandaime Hokage and his successor, the fourth, were sitting at his desk which was suspiciously void of any paperwork that he was usually caught with. The only thing that was on his desk was his orb that was sat on a pink square cloth. And a few hours ago, it had showed the Academy student's acting progress which was recently dubbed as 'Iruka's Class Project' which was really, the Hokage's orders.

A few years ago, the Sandaime had ordered the academy teachers to enforce this game upon the training genin before they were to graduate. He had his reasons, too. Konoha was going to be losing most of their spies due to retirement in the next few years, and some Konoha spies had never made it back from their last missions without being caught, so he was short on supplying the spy sector with a few to none. Now, why would he test soon-to-be fresh genin? Well, because fresh meat usually lasted longer, unless they were too incompetent to play their rolls. That is why they are being tested now, so that the Hokage could see who all could be possible candidates.

Though their abilities that they've either acquired from their clans, or that they've studied themselves also was something to count in their test. So far he'd paid close attention to the Yamanaka, and the samurai-daimyo's daughter. Of course, he didn't expect the Higurashi to be a possible spy, but she along with Naruto, surprised him greatly.

"The Yamanaka clan's main section is spying, and interrogation for information," Minato mumbled still shocked at the scene that zoomed in on his son. "But, Naruto…"

Well, he wasn't the only one that was surprised by the boy. Naruto was sort of like another grandson to the Sandaime, and seeing that the kid was the one to initiate the acting scene made him swell with a bit of pride, everyone always was against the child because he couldn't seem to do anything right, and here he is, just a little bit above the rest.

Who would have thought that the boy could act?

Naruto had came in an hour after school was over, but he hadn't mentioned anything about Iruka's 'Class Project', so the Sandaime and Minato had decided to replay the scene for themselves as if it was a movie that they could just keep rewinding. But, now the night loomed over the fire country and they had long since stopped playing the orb's movie, as everyone else would have been expected to be asleep; minus the night working ninja, the Third Hokage, and the Fourth Hokage.

Hiruzen stopped applying his chakra to the globe as he wrapped the globe in its pink cloth before he slipped it away into one of his cabinets beneath his desk.

"Why don't you go home to get some rest, Minato, your son will notice your absence," the Hokage nodded to him. "I'll handle what's left,"

Minato noticed his gaze slid around his desk with a small smile before he replied.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama, good night." And the blonde Jounin disappeared from the Hokage's office in a puff of smoke. He was off to his son and his new apartment, which was in the Namikaze compound, though it was still deserted.

_The next step in this game_, Hiruzen thought as he watched the cloud of dust dissipate and the leaves left behind float to the ground. _Is for them to get information. I'll hold off on that for when they graduate, though_.

* * *

><p>The next day, Kagome woke up in her bed with a mucky feeling in her gut. Her long blue-black hair was sprawled out around her in waves and tangles and her eyes had noticeable bags underneath them. Though, she may look like she's sick, the girl was simply feeling the after affects of training hard with Sesshoumaru.<p>

Last night's training was the hardest that they've ever done. Sesshoumaru had gone to the training room before her while she was getting ready—putting on her armor and shin guards, and whenever she arrived he had told her that they weren't going to use their swords that night. So, confused, she dropped hers to the floor and waited for his instructions. The second her wooden sword hit the floor she was attacked with an overwhelming feeling of ki. It was poisonous, she was aware; but Sesshoumaru had told her that the poison wouldn't affect her too badly; it had something to do with the material of her undershirt being made of cloth of the fire rat.

As it was said, the young girl was being trained on endurance, that much she could tell, but Sesshoumaru was also trying to see if he could get a rise from her ki. He knew she shouldn't be able to use it_ yet_ , which is why she was going through vigorous training, so that it would be forced to come early. She didn't even notice that he was using all of his energy…

That is what brought her to this state right now. She couldn't use it—what Sesshoumaru was pushing for. Though, she's used it before, but that was an unconscious effort. She couldn't use it by just calling it to her… and her body was now paying the price from being over worked, which is why today Sesshoumaru gave her the day off, knowing that she would be too weak to try for training a second night in a row.

Kagome sat up in her bed, wiping her bangs across her face. She didn't have to be at the academy for another hour and a half, even though the Academy started class an hour ago. But, the classes that they were having right now aren't what she needed to learn - she isn't a shinobi. She's still only taking chakra control classes, and Iruka's training class, and the female classes, of course. Everything else was only suited for ninja, meaning Naruto would be in school, and for now she was alone, at least until she made her way to the Uchiha manor.

A few steps sounded through the house as Kagome stayed put and listened to see if there was anyone else home with her. The footsteps were too noisy to be Sesshoumaru's graceful walk, but they matched perfectly with the InuYasha's heavy - though often changing - gait. Kagome waited a few more seconds to hear him yell down the hall in the direction of her room, like he usually did.

"Kagome-chan?" his voice was rough with his animal youkai descent, and Kagome found herself actually missing his company in the weeks that he was away. "Come on, Sesshoumaru told me to escort you to the Uchiha's place."

"Hold on a minute!" Kagome shouted back at him, though she was still lying down. "I'm getting dressed."

Without much trouble, she launched herself out of bed, and went to her closet to pick out one of her training outfits with a bit of dread. Even though she get's tonight's training with Sesshoumaru off, she still has to train with the Uchiha heir on some jutsus that 'wasn't right for her to learn in the academy'.

Once she was dressed in her knee-length navy blue long sleeved dress that exposed only her belly with her black flat boots, she pulled her hair back into its usual high ponytail with the free end ending at her waist. She decided to leave everything else behind; her armor, her shin guards, her wooden sword… she never used them at the Uchiha manor anyways.

When she opened her door, she found InuYasha in his usual red fire-rat haori, and hakamas leaning against one side of her wall as he watched her step out of her room. "Took you long enough."

"I didn't even take that long," Kagome retorted. "Let's get going before Itachi-sensei gets home. I want to beat him there, today."

InuYasha just scoffed.

"You could have been there twenty minutes ago, if you hadn't taken forever to get dressed," he frowned but turned around and lowered himself, gesturing for her to get on his back, like she usually did. Kagome smiled as she climbed on and held on to his shoulders tight as he leapt out of the closest window that was in the living room.

"Onward! To the Uchiha compound, boy!" but she couldn't resist saying that bit, much to InuYasha's annoyance, though a smile still ghosted on his lips.

* * *

><p>In the academy, Naruto sat next to Sasuke in the all boy's class of learning jutsu. The class was a large room with all of the walls being built of wood, well, minus one wall that was made of one-way glass—on the other side of that wall was the girl's jutsu class. Though, none of the students understood why they separated of boy and girl, they thought they were basically learning the same things. But, alas, no they weren't.<p>

Naruto had asked Hinata one day what they learned in there, and he was shocked to see the girl start blushing before she told him that they had more feminine things to learn. He hadn't understood what she had meant by that, so he asked Kagome what she meant, and she carefully replied that they were beginning lessons on provacation. Of course, it wasn't anything major, just to use their feminine looks while they had it in their arsenal. That, however, didn't suprise him. Kagome was extremely well at convincing Inu-baka with her looks... though he's slightly reluctant to admit it, she's great at convincing him too.

But, even then, Naruto still couldn't understand why they had to learn about it in a different class.

"Naruto!" Iruka's voice called Naruto out of his thoughts.

"What?" he asked boredly looking up to his sensei with distant eyes._ I wonder what Kagome-chan is doing_... his thoughts roamed, not even seeing his teacher's exasperated face. Lately he's been thinking about Kagome... less as a friend and more as a crush interest... poor kid how it happened, but he remembered a few days ago whenever he'd look into her bright blue eyes; she was the only girl that talked to him, really. Well, besides Hinata-chan of course. But, Hinata was just like a random classmate. His train of thought left the station as he kept staring blankly ahead of him.

Iruka let out a frustrated sigh, seeing that Naruto hadn't even been listening to what he's been saying. What's gotten into the boy now? If he keeps this up he won't pass on the class project for next hour. Iruka frowned.

"As I was saying, your graduation exams are going to be tomorrow; and I know it's a few days earlier than we've all expected, but what can I say? It wasn't me that arranged this," he shook his head. "But don't forget next hour's challenge."

Iruka looked over his groaning students with a playful smirk on his face. This is the most fun he's had in the academy with teaching these brats. This examination for possible spys was actually a good idea, and he'd be glad to tell the Hokage of the students progress later on today. Hopefully he'll be told to do this again next year. He glanced at the clock seeing it was time for break.

"Class is dismissed!" he grinned, watching as the huge group of male students raised swiftly from their desks, and emptied themselves out into the hallways to go grab their lunches and eat, all except Naruto that is. "Is there something wrong, Naruto?"

Naruto blinked slowly, noticing that it was time for break period, and a foxy grin pulled at his mouth making him look like his old happy self again and not at all like the bored boy that he was merely minutes ago. "Of course not, Iruka-sensei! I was just thinking about someone is all..."

Iruka was slightly surprised at what he was saying.

"Who?"

"Um, no one," Naruto thought out loud. "I'm... thinking of... no one."

Iruka finally let it go; though, he had a small clue of who it might be - his father had been awake for two years now, and everyone had already been announced his awaking. But, Iruka's sure that that isn't who Naruto was thinking of. He let out a small encouraging grin, making sure that Naruto caught it. Of course, he always seen the blonde boy with Kagome, his best friend, but as far as Iruka knew most shinobi who had close friends like that often fell for them, usually at young ages... that was how his friends have came to be claimed.

"Hm... I'm sure you'll surprise her," he grinned at Naruto as an alarm went off alerting the two to the fact that it was time for next hour causing said blonde to gasp in shock.

* * *

><p>Kagome was just walking back with Itachi to the Academy after he had explained some things to her. Their training session wasn't that hard. He actually didn't let her learn anything too far fetched. The only thing that she's learned so far was Genjutsu. He'd taught her most of what he knew of it, and that was a lot. He'd said, during her first year in Konoha, that since she had an eye sharp enough to recognize illusions, and see things that most others didn't see she'd be a good Genjutu artist. And, much to his surprise, she already knew how to dispel genjutsu, thanks to Iruka's class teachings.<p>

Kagome's hands went to her waist as she eyed her second mentor. He'd taught her a lot, much like Sesshoumaru had, during her stay there.

"Ne, Itachi-sensei?" she asked him, turning her eyes back toward the pathway.

"Hn," he looked down at her.

'_Hn_', she thought, rolling her eyes. "Do you know why Sesshoumaru-nii was pushing my training these last few days?"

Itachi turned his gaze away thoughtfully, of course he didn't really know why, but he was wondering of it himself. It probably had something to do with why the Hokage wanted to see Sesshoumaru and Itachi while Kagome was at school. The Sandaime kept asking questions, and of course, Itachi would answer them, but he didn't know _why_ he was being asked the questions. But, instead of answering he patted Kagome's head, now coming up a little past his shoulders, and let something akin to a smile tug at his lips.

"Aren't you supposed to be in character with your 'Class Project'?"

Kagome's eyes widened before she turned away with a light frustrated flush on her face.

"No one is even here!" Kagome knew Sasuke must have told him what was going on in the Academy, which is why he knew what was going on in Iruka's last hour class. But, honestly she'd forgotten what was going on herself. She was in for it next hour, a glum look was plastered on her face. She only _just_ remembered that next hour she has to stay in character with her 'Secretary' part, that dreadful feeling from this morning came back to hit her gut tenfold.

* * *

><p>They arrived to the Academy moments later before Itachi had wished her luck and begun to leave, and Kagome entered the classoom through the window parting ways with the shinobi. As she looked around the semi-empty classroom the only other kids she saw in the room were Naruto and Sasuke, and Iruka was sitting at his desk with a smile plasted on his face as he grinned at them.<p>

"Kagome-chan," he nodded.

"Hello, sir," she nodded once in greeting. "Sempai; Janitor-san."

Naruto scowled at the 'Janitor-san' but still said hi to his 'best friend' while Sasuke just nodded back in greeting.

Iruka watched the three kids with an amused smile as the classroom started to fill up, and Kagome took her seat next to Naruto. Soon enough the class was completely filled with every student that was needed to be present, and not one student said a word, for fear of failing their class project because they weren't in character. _Maybe I should have done this sooner_, Iruka thought triumphantly. _It would have saved me all the yelling in the past_.

"So, good evening, class," Iruka said to the still silent shinobi-in-training. "Apparently none of you went out of character while you were outside the building... Except for quite a few of you," he started calling off a bunch of names that most of the known students hadn't even heard of before frowning at them. "You've lost the game."

Kagome had a small grin on her face as she reached under the shared desk to grab Naruto's hand and squeezed it, but otherwise she didn't say anything.

"Any who," a smile lit Iruka's face again as he stared overall the students. "Only the first few minutes will be used to finish up the game because I have a surprising announcement that I have to make sure you all get... And this time you all have to speak."

He looked each and every one of his students in the eye before leveling his gaze with Naruto.

"Remeber; Never Back Down!" Iruka told them sternly before checking the clock, waiting for two seconds to pass by. "And... Begin!"


	12. The Yondaime Hokage

**Warning: Naruto Passed his Exam because there was nothing wrong with the clone he made in the Anime, and because Minato is alive, Mizuki can't do anything about that.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: The Yondaime Hokage<strong>

Minato stood on his head that was etched into the Hokage Mountain. He looked over and out, his stunning cerulean blue eyes roaming over his complete village. This was the hard part.

While he had become a full-time father, he was upping his strength to get it back to what it was before he blacked out for 10 years. He was ready to reclaim his position. He already was introduced to the world again the year before, though he didn't mention anything about his son - for protection reasons. He still has enemies after him, and he wouldn't be able to put Naruto on the line for his mistakes.

The Sandaime was ready to retire; they had discussed it months ago. Even though, Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't exactly ready to give out just yet, they knew it was time for it. Orochimaru had already made his next move, and he was getting a bit too old to watch out for the entire village, no matter how hard he still tried to. He wouldn't be able to stand another war. But, he knew if he wanted to keep his village save, he's going to have to fight against his defected student himself, and leave the dirty work to Minato.

* * *

><p>-Four Months Ago; Hokage Tower -Sunset-<p>

"_**So Orochimaru's making his move," Hiruzen hummed remorsefully. It was his fault he couldn't stop the traitorous act from happening whenever he could. But, he still couldn't be sure **_**how long**_** he's been doing it… the experiments, and trying for living forever… "Minato, I hope that whenever you're re-titled as Hokage that there will be some way to control this, or defeat it." **_

_**Minato nodded once, his once emotional face now devoid of any emotion. He understood what was going on. And, if what the ANBU had just said proved anything, they really did need to get the right shinobi prepared, and keep Higurashi Kagome out of harm's reach. **_

_**They still weren't even sure who was Orochimaru's informant on the situation; they haven't a clue whether Orochimaru has spies in the local parts of Konoha where the girl was staying or what… Though, Minato had a clue it was someone who was close to the girl. **_

_**It wasn't much of a secret whenever Kagome's power outage had been rumored around Konoha. Even some of the neighboring countries had heard of it. **_

"_**This isn't good, Hokage-sama," Minato frowned. "If Higurashi-san's reiki was strong enough to alert Orochimaru's spies to it, don't you think other enemy shinobi had heard word of it too? Konoha villagers aren't exactly keen on keeping secrets… Shouldn't we…?"**_

"_**Very well… We'll still see what we can do."**_

* * *

><p>He sighed as he started to turn back to the Hokage's office. He's avoided meeting up with the Council as long as he could, and now they have to discuss giving him his title back. He knew they only held rotten thoughts, especially since he's heard of what happened to instigate the villager's attacking his boy, and he still held a sort of grudge towards them. But, he couldn't do anything about it.<p>

_Time to get this over with_, Minato thought. _Then I'll be Hokage again, it won't matter what they say… What I say _will _go. I dare any one of them to go against my word. _

And he disappeared in a Yellow Flash.

…

Soon after, he arrived into the Hokage's office, via the door this time, looking presentable. He wore his usual attire, the dark blue fitted work pants, the dark blue long-sleeved shirt with a red Whirlpool insignia on his right shoulder, his dark green Jounin vest – and last but not least, his white short-sleeved cloak with red flames lining the bottom and the back of it with the kanji for '_The Yondaime Hokage_' scrawled neatly in red down the center.

"Yondaime Hokage-sama," greeted a sketchy elderly woman's voice, someone he instantly recognized as Mitokado Homura, though he didn't see her before she spoken. His eyes were on Danzo's suspiciously wrapped up form as he spoke.

"Homura-san…"

"How… graceful of you to join us at this hour, Namikaze-_san_," Danzo began with a noncommittal small leer on his face. "It is fortunate that you have decided to… reclaim your title. Hiruzen is getting pretty old…"

Hiruzen stood off to the side, staring at the trees, though keeping his focus on none of them in particular, and he hadn't shown any sign of hearing what the other man had just said.

"It's a pleasure to gain my authority again," Minato's voice had double meaning. None but the third Hokage had caught it.

The room went silent for a few seconds, only cold glances being exchanged from the three council members to Minato and Hiruzen, before Danzo decided to break the silence.

"Maybe we should start the ceremony first-"

"That won't be necessary, Danzo." Hiruzen cut in, turning back to face the council, Danzo, and his successor, as he steadily smoked his pipe.

"He's right, Danzo," the other man, Koharu Utatane spoke.

Hiruzen let a smile light up his features as he reached behind the desk for the robes and hat of the Hokage, leading Minato to his seat as he held the garbs out for him to take. "Since you already know all the gory detail of becoming the Hokage, there's no need to tell you what's what, and what's going to happen, you can already get on your job. The announcement will be later in the week. You have work to do." He grinned.

The others in the room only nodded once in agreement, having nothing else to say.

"And you're to assist him, correct?" Koharu questioned.

Hiruzen nodded and without another word, Danzo, Koharu, and Homura turned and made their way through the door silently. The grave expression instantly leaving Minato's face, he felt so much relieved that they weren't in his presence at the moment, and he could actually get some work done.

* * *

><p>Naruto was the happiest genin ever… Oh, right. Naruto, and the rest of his shinobi training class, had just had their 'early' graduation exam just thirty minutes ago. Surprisingly, he had passed, even though it was the hardest test that he had ever needed to take; the bunshin test. Of course, he still wasn't very great at it, but he can still get better! His dad <em>is<em> the Fourth Hokage after all. But that didn't really matter to him right now.

He bound happily through the village with a grin on his face, not even minding the cold stares of some of the parents back at the Academy as he leapt from roof to roof, deciding to travel by air so he wouldn't be disturbed.

Maybe he and his father could celebrate his newest victory!

Though, he really wished Kagome was there whenever they had their exams. She would have been really proud of him... She probably would even celebrate with them, his grin widened a bit as he smiled dopily at the thought. But, he knew that she was out training with teme number two, Itachi, and the lady's man, Sesshoumaru, because she doesn't have to graduate, and she had her proper exams the other day. He scrunched his nose.

After leaping off of one of the civilian shop's roofs, he dropped in the window sill, seeing that his father had already gone through all the necessities he needed to and he reclaimed his spot as the Hokage. Naruto then found they had even more to celebrate about. His grin widened even more. Now, _he_'s the honorable son. That would kind of explain why most of the cold stares stopped, but most still continued… It doesn't matter now; he's a ninja!

"Tou-san!" he laughed giddily rubbing his hands together, his whisker's spreading in a continuous grin across his face as his eyes danced happily. "I passed!"

Minato already knew Naruto would be coming to exclaim his conquest, so he wasn't very surprised when the young blonde entered the huge window, or whenever he told him that he passed. Minato already knew he would. And he already had his team made up and picked, at that thought a smirk made its way on his own face, but it disappeared as he turned to face his boy. _Don't let him see that_, he thought quickly.

"Did you?" he questioned with his eyes narrowed playfully. This was just how it was between them, they'd joke around for a while, before Naruto had decided to help with the papers that Hiruzen and the Council had sent over, which was a surprise, because Naruto doesn't like paperwork… at all. But, Minato had a suspicion that he only did it so he could get trained earlier than they had planned. Minato didn't really care as long as the paperwork was out of the way.

Though he hadn't counted in Naruto's stamina at the time; and the boy nearly put both himself and Minato into chakra exhaustion from overworking without even realizing they were. He knew better now…

"Believe it!" Naruto laughed again, pointing to his hitai-ate that was tied securely around his head. "I think we should eat ramen."

That made Minato feel a bit regretful, he wished he could go out, but right now the Higurashi case needed to be sorted out, what with Orochimaru moving quick, there was hardly any time to do anything tonight, he probably wouldn't even get to make it back home tonight with all the work he's been given. He sighed.

"I have to work…" Minato smiled softly. "But you can get our food and we'll celebrate here."

Naruto's grin never wavered; he just nodded eagerly with more determination than ever, and left through the window again.

_Hyper-active shinobi… that could either be a good sign, or a bad omen of the boy's outrageous pranks happening even more through the years_… Minato stared oddly out the window to his bright son's departure, thankfully forgetting that he would hardly be seeing his son since he had reclaimed the position as Hokage.

* * *

><p>Kagome stared at the man with short curly black hair in front of her, his depthless black eyes meeting her deep sapphire blues easily as they held their staring contest thickly, gaining more intensity in the air around them. She grew upset, still staring at this man. Why is he so taunting, anyways? Why doesn't he just tell her where he is? Where, Itachi, or <em>at<em> _least_ Sasuke is?

"Shisui…" she warned lowly.

It wasn't risky to act like that for her. That seemed to be the only type of language that the Uchiha's spoke around there, anyways. You had to act like you are above them, or at least equal to them to even have a_ decent_ conversation with them. If you didn't they would just look down on you, walk over you, or they'd just act like you don't exist, and nothing you need done will ever be completed then.

Shisui's cat-like eyes narrowed, but his face shown a _real_ smile as he stared down at the girl. He knew what she wanted; he just liked toying with her every time she came to the Uchiha compound alone. He didn't really get the chance to do that whenever she dragged the half-dog around with her, or Sasuke, or even Sesshoumaru or Itachi themselves. She was adorable, almost like his adorable cousin Sasuke, whom he liked to bother as well.

"What's the magic word, Kagome-san?" he grinned.

"Take me to Itachi-sensei; or else?" she pouted angrily.

"Nope," he laughed, leaning against the gate with his arms crossed. "You've gotta try harder than that."

"Where is Sasuke?" she frowned, mirroring his position, leaning against the other gate, still glaring at him.

"Not the magic words, but," Shisui flicked an imaginary piece of dirt off his shoulder – an excuse to look away from the young girl – as he spoke. "He went off to celebrate passing his exam with Fugaku-sama." He frowned.

Kagome nodded in understanding. "I see…Well, I'm just going to walk in, with or without your assistance."

And just as she almost opened the gate, Shisui suddenly grabbed her wrist, holding her steadfast as he examined his wrist for any cuts he might have received on his most recent mission, knowing that she was fighting against his grip.

"If I wanted you to go in, Higurashi-sama, I would have permitted you entrance," He smirked again in her direction. "And, isn't that snarl of yours just adorable!"

He grinned more genuinely at her at the end of his sentence, but Kagome just bared her teeth at him. His grip became half-hearted, and loosened around Kagome's wrist as she tore it out of his grasp and almost started screeching at him.

Almost.

A sudden flare in the atmosphere around them alerted them to another presence in the same area as them, though, they both already knew who it was, even though he said nothing for the longest moment, just watching the two of them with curious, though disinterested eyes.

"Shisui," the presence of the Uchiha heir spoke, subtly glaring at his elder cousin with disappointment. "Would it have hurt you to just let her in this once?"

Kagome giggled braggingly toward Shisui, as she moved her glance to Itachi's form, in his Jounin vest and attire, instead of the odd white one that he usually wore when he trained her. It's about time he showed up, she was only waited for nearly three days. She shook her head, sighing in mirror disappointment to her sensei's own.

"Itachi-san…" Shisui's lips formed a thin line, his expressionless exterior back in place. "I was just keeping Kagome-san company…"

Itachi just raised an eyebrow as Shisui trailed off effectively ending his own explanation.

"Kagome, come." Itachi murmured, grabbing hold of her hand, and leading them both into the compound. "Shisui, you should probably hold yourself back from such frivolous games."

Shisui glared openly.

Kagome stuck her tongue out, with her free hand pulling down one eye-lid. _See-ya, sucker!_

…

Once inside the compound, Itachi led her off to the back room, not even looking over his back to make sure that she was following once he let go of her hand. He simply walked gracefully, and quietly through the dark hallways, Kagome naturally just following suit.

"Sessshoumaru is already here," Itachi commented once they came to a stop in front of a closed door.

"Yeah?" Kagome questioned. "I figured he did since he wasn't in the house when I woke up this morning." Acually, she had no clue where he went, she thought he might have been out with Anko or something. Though, she wouldn't say that to anyone, Itachi probably doesn't know that he's engaged to her. But, once she had checked for him at Anko's, she couldn't find him - she thought that he had taken off on her, leaving her all alone; since InuYasha was off training with his dad, and she generally woke up _alone_.

Itachi let a small smile show on his face as he turned to face her amusedly, he knew her well enough to know that she was lying, knowing her she was probably panicking. But, Sesshoumaru had his reasons for letting her be alone for a while, he had to explain some things to Itachi before she came over. But, these weren't things that Kagome needed to know, or worry herself over.

"Hn," he turned back to the door as he opened it. "There are some things that we need to discuss with you about the Yondaime Hokage's orders, though, Kagome. There isn't time for us to train, and besides you've learned all I could teach you. Actually, you're ready to fight for yourself."

Kagome stared long and hard at her mentor. She learned all that he could teach her? Sesshoumaru told her that he still has things to train her in. But she's done working over here? If she isn't here to train, then, what are they going to be discussing? She frowned.

"... I guess I am."


	13. Ninja, Ninja, Ninja, Samurai!

**AN: Don't worry! I decided to keep writing this story for at least 40 or 50 chapters. I know, the drama took too long, but things are _finally_ starting to pick up. ^,^' This was hard for me to write, but I honestly expected the drama to pick up in the later, later chapters. But, luckily I finally was able to squeeze this in here.**

**Words: 4,000 or less. **

* * *

><p><strong>Previously: <strong>

"_There are some things that we need to discuss with you about the Yondaime Hokage's orders, though, Kagome. There isn't time for us to train, and besides you've learned all I could teach you. Actually, you're ready to fight for yourself."_

_He opened the door as Kagome stared. _

"…_I guess I am."_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: Ninja, Ninja, Ninja, Samurai!<strong>

They walked in side by side, Kagome just looking around the brightly illuminated room, but seeing nothing. She wanted to know what was up, so she was coming up with some questions to ask her mentor and surrogate brother. And maybe, when and if she finishes up here, she'll go hunt down Naruto so he can take her to his father.

That's right; she didn't miss the rumors that Naruto's the Yondaime's son… Not that she really care's the daimyo of the Samurai Nation's daughter. Though, if she went all gushy over it, like most of Sasuke's fan-girls she could easily picture herself as a princess and Naruto as a prince, and they'd have a beautiful friendship that could someday turn out to be like those true love novels that she'd read at the library. They'd fall in love, and he'd ride her off on a white horse –!

Kagome stopped herself at that thought. _Not right now, Kagome_, she scowled at herself.

"Kagome-chan," she heard Sesshoumaru's voice call softly to her. She looked up immediately and saw the great dog. She would have smiled, if it wasn't for what Itachi had just told her, instead she settled with greeting him with a nod. _This is strictly business_, her thoughts reminded her.

"Sesshoumaru,"

"Have a seat," Itachi murmured in her ear, pushing her to the seat across from an empty wooden chair, and another one identical to it, which Sesshoumaru was sitting in. The chair that she was to occupy was a rocker, cushioned with red pillows.

As she sat down, she didn't bother looking up at them, she knew that this was the first serious-serious conversation that they were going to have. All the others were only serious enough to tell her that she needed to train harder. But, now, their business involved the Hokage's will. To put it blandly, she was kind of nervous... and worried. What the hell was going on? This never happened before? Did it have something to do with that time that she failed the written test in the Academy? That was months ago!

"Kagome, as I told you before," Itachi spoke lightly, drawing Kagome's attention up to him. "You're done training in jutsu… and since your father sent you here to 'protect Konoha' the Yondaime ordered that you be trained under an ANBU captain."

Sesshoumaru saw, with satisfaction, that Kagome was confused with what Itachi was telling her. But he kept his expression clear as he took his turn to speak to her.

"He seems to think that you will become stronger if you train under Hatake Kakashi."

"The guy that escorted me here?" she scrunched her nose. They were all actually surprised she remembered him; it was practically two years ago that she first moved here. But how could she not remember him when he had the odd silver-gray hair that defied gravity, leaning to one side, though, giving nothing away about how old he was? – Or how about the mysterious mask that covered the lower half of his face, and his headband that covered his right eye? Yeah, she remembered him well.

"Yes him…" Sesshoumaru answered quietly, though amused.

"Wait… What's ANBU have to do with anything?" she continued questioning.

_To make sure you're safe, they're needed_, Sesshoumaru thought. "They know more than anyone else." _Partly true_, a grimace pulled his smirking lips downward.

"Kagome, you already learned from me, and I'm also an ANBU captain…" Itachi spoke up again. "If you train under another, you'll be able to 'protect' Konoha, like your father sent you for."

Kagome caught the tone that Itachi had used both times when he mentioned why she was sent here. She had a feeling that there was a double meaning to it, but she was missing it. He said it twice. Third time's a charm? The thing is, she was sent here to protect Konoha, her father had even told her so… though, she couldn't be sure if that was even the reason why she was sent with the way she's been training practically in secret, and the way things were as serious as they are now. _There might even be someone in trouble right now_, her eyes widened simply at the thought of it.

"Is someone in trouble or something?" she asked, alarmed, if she had any weapons on her, her hands probably would have reached for them but instead she settled for letting some of her energy, and chakra leak out with the intensity.

"Kagome, stop that." Sesshoumaru ordered sharply, glaring straight into her eyes after feeling the smallest bit of reiki singe his fur pelt that rested on his arm.

Itachi felt it too; his eyes, which were stinging, almost poured chakra into themselves on their own accord. But, luckily he stopped it in time before his Sharingan bled red and he got rid of the threat. Making himself calm down, he noticed Kagome was scowling deeply at the two of them, she'll learn when it's necessary to use it soon, hopefully.

"Well, is there?"

Sesshoumaru frowned.

"Yes," Itachi murmured. "You…"

* * *

><p>The next day came fairly quickly. Naruto had woke up well rested in the apartment near the Hokage Mountain, <em>the Hokage's compound<em>, already knowing that his father was already awake and at work – Minato had told him what was going to happen the day before. Besides, Naruto has to go to Orientation today, and oddly enough his father had assured him that Kagome might even be there too, hence why he woke up happily this morning.

As soon as he was done showering and dressed in his usual orange jumpsuit, he fixed him some of the stock of cup ramen and ate it quickly before he headed off to meet up with the rest of his class in the Academy.

"Ya!" he giggled to himself. "I'm a ninja now… I better get going before I miss Orientation."

…

Iruka made it to the class room a little later than all the students. _Minus Kagome_, Naruto noted thoughtfully. The classroom was filled with almost everyone from his graduating class except for a few people no one really knew or talked to. Naruto sat on the edge near the aisle, Sakura sat in between him and Sasuke, and Naruto prayed silently that Kagome would show up.

Even though the class was loud and filled with excited gossip and conversations, Iruka had begun to tell a speech about how they were ninjas now, and they were going to be put into teams of three before he started to call out the first team. "Squad seven will be, Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and though she's not a ninja… Kagome Higurashi will be placed with the three of you," he paused, gauging their reactions, seeing Naruto pleased, and Sakura practically scowling, though Sasuke didn't seem to respond in any way. "…Yondaime Hokage's orders." Iruka supplied in explanation.

Everyone started gossiping even more intently than before once he finished with squad seven, and Iruka gained an annoyed expression as they cut him off from saying the next team's names. _Why was Kagome put on a ninja team, if she was a samurai girl?_ , the class seemed to think simultaneously. Why couldn't it be one of them, instead of the Higurashi? – was the kunoichi fan-girls' reasoning.

"Anyways, squad eight; Hinata Hyuuga,"

"Yes sir," Hinata replied quietly, moving her attention to their former sensei.

"Kiba Inuzuka," Iruka continued. "And Shino Aburame,"

Everyone else that hadn't been called waited tensely hoping that they wouldn't be with someone that they didn't want to be on a team with. What if they didn't get along?

"Squad Nine; Ino Yamanaka," Iruka said firmly. "Shikamaru Nara, and Chouji Akimichi,"

There was a groan heard from the Yamanaka girl as she heard the names of her teammates being called after hers. _I get a lazy boy who's full-of-himself and food boy too? Damn it. _

"Those are the first squads." Iruka finished.

Ino snorted. _There're still about eighteen other people in this room and only nine of us got put on a squad? Even with the Higurashi… They're probably going to be put on a squad once the ones that already have one are gone. Huh… _

"If you already have a squad, you're dismissed for lunch."

* * *

><p>In the center of a wooden room that was hardly lit with purple decorative torches in the Hokage tower, there was the Yondaime Hokage sitting at a plush blue couch with a grey and brown desk in front of him, the Sandaime's large orb sitting on a purple pillow that was sat on a yellow cloth that was lined down the center of the desk. There were a few files resting on one side of the orb, while candles and extra torches sat on the other side.<p>

In front of the Hokage, there was a group of Jounin standing in front of him, all looking at the orb, before meeting the blonde Hokage's expectant gaze.

"As you all know, the Higurashi had graduated along with the rest of them," Minato began, meeting his former student's lone expectant eye. "You all get to choose which group files you want for your team; though I warn you. I already picked out Kagome's team. She is unavailable; the same with Naruto."

The Jounin looked surprised at this statement, though Kakashi only sighed. He should have known Minato would have stuck the two of them together – and on his squad none the less. Though, he was suspicious on the other two that he was supposed to get.

"The Uchiha heir's younger brother," Minato continued lazily. "Will also be put on squad seven,"

They watched as a scene from the Academy replayed out for them. It was one of the Uchiha glaring at Naruto, and at the sight of that, Kakashi sighed again. Those two practically hated each other; could there be any more déjà vu with this team than there is now? History repeating itself isn't what he needed... but he supposes that is another reason why he was placed in charge of this team.

"And Sakura Haruno… daughter to civilian parents, and excellent chakra control – comments of Chuunin Iruka." Minato smiled sneakily at Kakashi as the other Jounin ninjas in the room wondered what was so special about a kid born to civilians with great chakra control, though missing the secret message between the two.

"The rest, the Hyuuga, Inuzuka, and Aburame of squad eight's files are right here," he lifted the files, waiting for one of the Jounin to take them from his hands.

The only woman in the room reached for them, she personally wanted Hinata's team, anyways, since she was her caregiver since the accident with Hinata's father… and her kidnapping that resulted in her exiling.

Her name, the Jounin, was Kurenai, a black-haired recently admitted Jounin Kunoichi, and she wore a neat white dress that looked like bandages were wrapped around her form with black thorny floral decorations all over, though the dress looked red under the lighting. Under the dress she wore a black and red mesh top, showing the tiniest bit of cleavage, for a typical ninja female's business reasons.

Her stunning red eyes met Minato's blues as she took the files into her petite hands.

"I'll take on this team," she murmured seriously.

Minato nodded, and slipped one of the other files towards Kakashi, the one with Naruto's team info in it, before lifting up another file. "Next group, squad nine; Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi…" he read the contents of the file with a sense of déjà vu. _This sounds like Ino-Shika-Cho all over again… though it's their kids. And I'll get to see how they grow to be in the future…_ Minato chuckled inwardly.

A man with dark brown spiky hair, with the same colored hair lining the outline of his face in a chinstrap, and deep brown eyes reached for the files. He wore the typical male Jounin uniform, though there were white wrappings on his arms, which were previously crossed across his chest skeptically. He was familiar with the Nara family, and the Yamanaka's. He wouldn't mind taking this team.

"I guess I'll take this team on…" he commented, reading over the files that were already out of the folder.

Minato smirked happily. There were only a few more teams to put away. He looked to the remaining Jounin. "Next squad…"

* * *

><p>It was later in the evening, and Kagome still hadn't turned up for Orientations, they were due to walk back to the classrooms to meet their Jounin senseis. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke stood waiting in one of the available classrooms, while the other teams waited in their own classrooms. Naruto assumed that the kids that didn't get called when they did were out on their lunch break now. And even though Kagome wasn't in the classroom with them, Naruto knew she would be there, she had to be.<p>

Naruto got impatient waiting for the white haired, masked man, knowing that the man would probably take his time getting there. He didn't know much about the man, except that he met him a few days ago. His dad probably had something to do with him being his new teacher, too, now that he thought about it.

He moved the teacher's side table to the sliding white doors, with one of the doors open just enough for his plan. Suddenly, he ran back to the chalkboard to get a black chalkboard eraser with visible chalk dust clinging to the erasing material before climbing onto the desk with the chalk in his hand.

"Naruto, what do you think you're doing?" Sakura began skeptically.

Naruto didn't answer for a while as he slid the chalk in between the open door and the doorframe. "He wants to take forever; I'm going to teach _him_ a lesson."

"But, do you really think he'd fall for that?" Sasuke retorted boredly from his seat in the middle row at the front desk. "He's an elite ninja, and knows way more than you're giving him credit for." he rested his head on folded hands, closing his eyes. "You might as well just take that down. He isn't one of the schoolyard kids that you pull pranks on all the time, dobe."

Bastard, Naruto answered mentally, before commenting snidely. "Yeah? Well, we'll see if he can dodge this."

He jumped off of the desk, pushing it back to where he found it, and he moved back to lean on the desk Sasuke was sat at as Sakura walked over and leaned on the other side of the desk – all three watching the door intently to see if Naruto's 'joke' worked.

A few moments of waiting didn't prove anything for Naruto as he sighed frustratingly as he began pounding a fist in a disjointed rhythm against the desk he leaned on, earning two hard glares from his present teammates.

Suddenly, they heard a sliding sound, and all three of their gazes moved to the door, watching just as intently as they had before, waiting for the teacher to either dodge the eraser, or get owned. They watched as the door slid open even further, and watched even harder as the eraser began its drop when a head of silver had popped in to glance at the students, not at all avoiding the inevitable drop of the eraser which plopped with a soft noise down on top of the Jounin's head.

This caused Naruto to erupt suddenly with laughter, Sakura to flinch in fear, and Sasuke to deadpan at the sight that they had just been gifted, though the same thought went through all of their heads. _This is an elite ninja?_

"Hmm…" Kakashi commented, lazily eying Naruto squarely, before moving his gaze back up to where the eraser had came from and then glaring at the three kids standing at the desk. "How do I put this nicely…? If games such as these are what you feel the need to execute, then you might not even make it."

Naruto stopped laughing immediately, feeling sullen all of the sudden.

"I told him not to do it, sensei!" Sakura glared at Naruto, but Kakashi didn't seem to have heard her.

"Meet me on top of the roof," he continued, and he disappeared from their sight.

* * *

><p>Kagome stood, leaning against the railing on the roof of the academy that she was told to meet on by Itachi. She waited for her teacher, and co. decided to get there as she stared at the sky beyond a bunch of silver arcs lined up - one behind the other- with trees and a red flag in the center of the front one. While she was lost in thought, her uncontrollable tears started pricking in her eyes while she remembered what her mentors had just told her an hour before she was ordered to come here.<p>

_"Kagome, you weren't exactly sent here to be a guardian of Konoha like your father had originally told you, and his kingdom." Sesshoumaru frowned. "They sent you here, because _you_ are the one in trouble... though, you are expected to fight for Konoha, but not too soon, while there's people after you." _

_"But...why?" she felt her eyes overflowing from the knowledge of her father lying to her, her sight blurring slightly, but her voice gave nothing but sad betrayal away. _

But they hadn't answered why...

A wry smile was on her face. She couldn't stay mad at her father forever. She hadn't even seen him in the past two years, only having communicated by letters, and they still haven't stopped that yet. Her smile became even more genuine as she heard footsteps of the 'company' - or in other words, her new teammates. Though, she still didn't know who they were. Though when she heard her name being called, she gained a clue of who one of them _might_ be. _  
><em>

"Kagome-chan!" a brash, yet excited voice called from the direction of the steps.

Kagome immediately met the owner of the voice's eyes her grin growing wider as she saw the rest of her team. Sasuke, her old teacher's younger brother followed soon after Naruto, coming into sight, and then there was the pinkette, Sakura Haruno - one of the few girls that were actually some-what civil towards her.

"Naruto-kun," Kagome waved half-heartedly. "Sakura, Sasuke."

...

Soon, the four of them were sat down in the center of the roof, all facing the Jounin that they were assigned. Sakura sat on the far side, besides Sasuke, Naruto sat on the other side of him, and Kagome sat on the other side of Naruto as they all stared expectantly at the man.

"Why don't you all introduce yourselves?" Kakashi spoke, leaning against the silver railing that lined the top of the building they were on with his hands dug deep in his pockets.

"What all are we supposed to say?" Sakura questioned.

"Say things like, your hobbies... what you like, and dislike, dreams for the future... things like that."

Sakura stared uncertainly at the man, along with the rest of her teammates. Why does he want to know these things? Won't he just figure them out by leading this squad? "Okay... But, why don't you go first?"

Kakashi hummed in response, probably debating on whether or not to tell them anything about him before he finally relented. "My name is Kakashi Hatake... What I like and dislike... I don't want you to know those. Dreams for the future... I'm not sure, yet," the students before him deadpanned. "And as for my hobbies? I have lots of hobbies."

Naruto, Kagome, Sakura and Sasuke scowled at the lack of information they've just recieved. How did he expect them to introduce themselves, when he barely introduced himself?

"All he told us was his name," Sakura scowled. Naruto nodded once in annoyance, while trying to avoid the man's only visible eye that seemed to be searching among the four of them.

"You," he commented, looking straight at Kagome, his eye brightening in the slightest. "Samurai child. Introduce yourself."

Kagome blinked in response. "My name is Kagome Higurashi." she nodded proudly. They waited for her to say something else, but became a bit impatient as she said nothing else.

"And?" Sasuke prodded, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"Why should I say anything else?" Kagome asked confusedly. "All Kakashi said was his name..." they all still just stared at her blankly.

"Fine... What I like... I liked... living where I used to... but I was suddenly told to move here," her eyes shined at the memory, though her smile had long since left her face. "I dislike being lied to, or being told what to do by someone who doesn't follow their own advice... people fighting for me, and not letting me fight on my own...

"My dreams for the future, is to go back home, strong enough to fight for _me_, and the excuse I was given to come here - to protect Konoha," she paused, finally looking away from Kakashi and to the sky behind him. "My Hobby? I like archery... Though, I never really had the chance to try it... I only watched some store owners demonstrate it to some customers from afar."

Kakashi mentally stored this information away for later, a small smile pulling at his lips, while his ninja students looked thoughtfully at the young girl. Naruto with a lopsided grin on his face, and Sasuke and Sakura with curiosity lining in their eyes.

"Alright, and you," Kakashi moved his gaze to Naruto.

"Believe it. I'm Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto began playing with his hitai-ate with a calm grin on his face. "I like instant ramen in a cup, and I really like that my dad is the Yondaime Hokage. I hate that even though my dad is the Hokage..." he trailed off, his lips formed a thin line. _That some people still treat me like dirt..._ "That even though he's the Hokage, most people still don't respect me enough... My hobby is eating different kinds of ramen and comparing them. And my dream is to become the greatest Hokage! Then everyone will start respecting me, and treat me like I'm somebody! Somebody important." he smiled at the thought of his father's face, his hero - and idol.

"Alright, next," Kakashi called.

"I'm Sakura Haruno." Sakura introduced. "What I like is..." she trailed off, blushing, and looking at Sasuke. "I mean, _who_ I like is, uh... forget it. Um.. My hobby ... I like... reading... and studying," she looked down thoughtfully, forcing herself not to mention anything about Sasuke... though, that was her hobby - studying... like a nerd. She mentally sighed. "My dream for the future is..." she trailed off again. "I mean..." she glanced at Sasuke again, feeling a bubbly feeling in her gut as she felt a giggle forcing its way out of her mouth.

"And?" Kakashi sighed. "What do you hate?"

"Ano..." she glared at Naruto, but she didn't bother trying to say his name.. he said _what_ not _who -_ and who she hated was irrelevant. She could even mention Ino if she wanted. "I hate when Naruto pulls his stupid pranks," she scowled.

Kagome giggled. _He must have done something this recently, then._

"Last one," Kakashi looked pointedly at the Uchiha boy.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha," Sasuke muttered, glaring at Kakashi. "I like training with my aniki. I dislike when he's away on long missions... or off training with someone _else_," his glare moved to Kagome, though it was more playful than anything.

_Minato-sensei did say that Kagome trained under Itachi as well_, Kakashi thought staring curiously at the Uchiha. _But, how much has _he_ learned from the prodigal ANBU captain?_

"My hobby is to train to be as great as he is," Sasuke continued. "And my dreams for the future is to join the Uchiha police force... so that my father will actually realize that I _do_ exist." his voice came out cold near the end, though with it was laced with his own growing pain.

Kakashi looked over all of them with a satisfied smile... They were nothing like the last bunch of brats that he was put in charge of to see if they'd pass. These genin seemed different - and he felt a change for him, and his subordinates this time. Maybe _this time_, he'll actually pass a team... Maybe.

"Good," he grinned subtly. "You're each unique in your own way. That's very good... Tomorrow, we'll have our first mission. I want each of you to meet me at training grounds seven, at 7:30 in the morning. Don't be late... oh, and don't eat anything, otherwise you'll get sick..." he looked them over with a sadistic eye. His four new subordinates staring confusedly at him.

"See ya..." he glanced at the three of them ,getting serious once again. "And, bring your weaponry, and anything else in your arsenal that you might need."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Seriously; Who the hell are those random kids that were in Iruka's class that didn't get assigned a team? Lol. It's like they didn't exist or something. Bc Iruka only called three team's names. Ahaha. Anyways,**

**Team Seven's meeting was the same because I didn't want to change anything, really. But obviously most things have changed. **

**Everything else isn't following the Naruto series though, as I have proved before whenever I started this fic.  
><strong>

**I have to have the rest of the InuYasha gang show up, after all. ;D Shippou should appear soon, and Miroku and Sango as well. :)**

**So How was this? I hope I piqued some of you guys' attention. **


	14. The 'Client'

**A.N: Since I haven't seen you guys' reviews before I posted Chapter 13, Thank you Kira Neami and Katarin Kishika for leaving my first two reviews in the longest while! I'm glad you both like the story! **

**And sorry for updating so soon. xD I'm vomiting updates right now. ^.^'**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: The 'Client' <strong>

They all stood in training grounds seven after waiting an extra hour for Kakashi to arrive, each and every one of them with every weapon that they owned on their person, and exhausted looks marred heavily on their faces. They were hardly even well-rested.

And even though the four students arrived right on time, Kakashi didn't arrive until an hour later when the sun was higher in the sky, greeting them with a typical greeting of, "Yo," and once he was dealt with a double-powered yell from Sakura and Naruto for being late, he fixed them with the excuse of, "I saw a black cat, so I had to take the long way," as he looked them over to make sure that they had everything.

And, once he was finished, he nodded in satisfaction.

Sakura wore her usual dark green thigh-length dark forest green shorts underneath her maroon and white dress with a thick white outline of a circle on the front bottom center of the dress resting on the front flap, and her long pink hair was down and flowing a little past her shoulders with her hitai-ate being worn as a common headband, along with her customary blue battle sandals. Her wrappings wrapped around her left leg, and on top of the wrappings was her blue kunai holster, then behind her hooked to her back pocket was her tan shuriken pouch.

To the left of her, Sasuke wore his usual blue shirt with the red and white Uchiwa fan on the back, along with his usual white shorts, and blue battle sandals with his hitai-ate tied securely around his forehead, letting his free black spiky locks fall as they pleased around it. His kunai holster was attached to his right leg, though, and his shuriken pouch was also hooked to the back of his shorts.

On his right, Naruto stood in his usual blue battle sandals, orange jumpsuit pants, his mainly orange jacket with navy blue material patched near the top and around his shoulders, and along the back of it which held a red whirlpool, and on his left sleeve was something that looked like a slingshot attached to his shoulder. Around his forehead he wore his standard hitai-ate shining proudly with the leaf emblem, as his short, spiky blonde locks fell messily over it.

And above him, Kagome wore thigh-length black shorts with a long ankle-length royal black half-skirt that was wrapped halfway around her waist with the train lagging behind her, though it showed the front of her shorts and legs easily with her usual black calf knee-high boots. Also around her waist, she wore a thick dark blue sash that held her 'new' sword in place along with a black mesh undershirt, and a dark blue long-sleeved shirt that barely showed her midriff covering the mesh top, so that her family tattoo showed vaguely through the mesh material. Her waist-length blue-tinted black hair was pulled into its usual high ponytail, and her bangs fell into her eyes.

"So, what are we doing?" Naruto asked curiously, leaning against one of the three poles in the center of the field, the one that Kagome sat comfortably on while trying to stay awake.

Sasuke leaned against the other side of the pole, and Sakura sat in front of the pole with her legs crossed and her eyes closed. She didn't want to do anything yet, not until she got some food in her system, and some rest over her head. This hour was too damned early to be out and preparing for work like this.

Kagome, on the other hand, was actually a_ little_ used to it, having had to wake up early to train with Sesshoumaru and then be sent off to Itachi immediately after, but this- last night was the one time that she went to bed late, and she was about near falling asleep while sitting on her butt, literally. Her eyes drooping even told her story. She was fighting mentally just to keep her attention on what was going on as he consciousness fought back, slowly trying to slip away.

"We're going on our first mission, as I have told you before..." Kakashi eyed the four that was resting on the center pole with something close to dissatisfaction as he thought over what his old sensei had ordered the teachers of the fresh genin. Of course, taking away the custom 'bell test' that was in the system for generations was part of his displeasure. But, he's thought it over, and maybe putting them into hypothetical situations where they _really_ needed to work together would make them a more efficient team than the other test's results.

Though, he wasn't planning on his team asking him countless questions about the mission. Seriously; did he ask as many questions when he was a brat? He probably didn't...

"What mission is that?" Sasuke asked with a frown on his face. _Are we even ready for it?_

"You're going to lead a man back to his home," Kakashi answered nonchalantly, taking a small orange book out of his shuriken pouch that was attached to the back of his work uniform.

Sakura and Kagome blinked simultaneously, giving their new sensei odd looks. _We are leading... a _man_ back to his home?_; they thought.

"Uh..." Kagome had a frown mirroring Sasuke's own. "Did he get lost or something?"

Naruto tried not to laugh at the situation that Kagome had brought to his imagination, though it _was_ a good one. Why are they leading someone to their own house? He reached up and tugged on the dark blue sash tied tightly around Kagome's waist making her look down at him in surprise, as every one of her teammates glanced at her blankly.

"Ano... I don't think he's talking about a stray dog, Kagome-chan," he snickered.

Kakashi sighed.

"No, I'm not," but his eyes curved in mild amusement as he began to explain the mission to them. "You have to get him home and keep him out of harm's way... work together... and get the mission done. The mission won't be properly complete until the man is home without a scratch on him."

"Alright..." Sakura started. "But, who exactly is he?"

"I don't know for sure..." Kakashi trailed off rubbing his chin thoughtfully with one finger. "Though, we have to meet him at the Hokage's office, and we're already an hour late."

Kagome, Naruto, and Sakura fixed him with a hard glare as Naruto and Sakura began to reprimand him. "You're the one that came here late!"

* * *

><p>They all stood in front of the blonde Hokage and a small group of Chuunin including Iruka sitting at a long desk-like thing, each of them staring at him intently after Naruto asked where they were going. They were in the Mission Hall. And to Naruto's ire, the old man that called Sarutobi-jiji 'sensei' was also there, albeit leaning against one side of the desk while scrutinizing the group of students in front of him with scrutiny.<p>

"Tou-san, Ero Sennin," Naruto greeted happily.

"Gaki," the man had greeted when Naruto bounded into the room with a smile on his face before turning his attention back to the older blonde. "Minato, I still don't think this is a good idea."

"Nonsense, Jiraiya-sama," Minato commented quietly. "This is more likely to work than the other... I saw it done in neighboring countries... and their cells were practically inseparable, and were 90% of the time successful. The other ten percent of the time, is irrelevant."

Kakashi stared at his old sensei, almost pulling out the book that Jiraiya wrote, but stopped himself because he didn't want Minato to see what he had succumbed to. He let out an agitated sigh. _Now I guess Princess Yume's ending is going to have wait until later_, he thought dejectedly.

"Ah... Kakashi, Kagome-hime, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, and Sakura-chan," Minato called out to them, officially greeting them since they've arrived there with a grin that scarily matched Naruto's own at that moment. "Your escort-ee should be here in a moment..." he finished sheepishly scratching the back of his head.

Jiraiya laughed at the sight of his flustered student. "Looks like Kakashi wasn't the only one who decided that they will get here when they want to."

Team seven, already having realized with impatience that if their client was anything like Kakashi, they'll be waiting for hours. What type of client takes forever whenever they're the ones that had ordered for escorts? Naruto grumbled quietly in his spot

"I've been awake since six o'clock," Kagome whined, leaning on Naruto's shoulder tiredly.

"I've been awake since 5:30," Naruto commented, looking down to her with energetic eyes.

Before some type of contest broke out about who was up longer, or who had more energy, Jiraiya decided to cut it off to reassure them.

"If I know Miroku, he'll be here soon... He's probably just _reacquainting_ himself with the bathhouse..." he chuckled a little perversely.

_The _women's_ bathhouse_, Minato sighed, an irritated vain nearly popping into view on his head. _How in the world did he become a monk? _

Minato respected the man, of course. He used to babysit him, actually. But... he guessed that his pervert sensei had been around a little too much and had rubbed off on the poor kid... now he was Konoha's and the Land of Demons' self acclaimed playboy. Luckily that was the least bit tamed when he met the taijaiya, Sango. Minato sighed again. If she attends this mission, then Kakashi's team is in for a …eventful… mission.

Sakura stared at Jiraiya with confused eyes, trying to figure out what he meant before turning to Sasuke to see if he understood what the man was saying. Apparently Naruto and Kagome already had, since their eyes were nearly wide with shock, and disgust.

"I'm sure Sango-san will be able to drag him here in time," Kakashi commented, eyeing Jiraiya knowingly.

Kagome's eyebrows rose.

"Well, whenever he decides to get here," Naruto mumbled into Kagome's ear. "We'll probably be halfway finished with the mission." he grinned.

...

Sasuke stood, getting bored counting the number of floor boards that the room had before he turned to Kagome with interest clearly on his face. He wanted to know something ever since she left his house the other day. "Kagome, what did Itachi-nii tell you?"

Sakura turned also to look at the girl with confusion also on her face. _She knows Itachi?_—The Uchiha prodigy, and first born - the rightful _heir_?

"What do you mean?" Kagome questioned, ignoring the looks she was receiving.

Everyone else deemed what they were saying was unimportant as they let the subordinates in cell seven have their conversation, with Naruto glancing wildly between Kagome and Sasuke, along with Sakura.

"When are you getting your sword from him?"

"My custom made sword won't be done yet for another week," Kagome smiled brightly, her energy coming back to her as she tapped the sword held to her hip by her sash. "But your brother gave me his old katana yesterday."

Sasuke glared at the sword held to her hip with tight lips, but he mentioned nothing else further, giving up on even trying a conversation. It wasn't worth getting irritated over.

...

It felt like another hour had passed between the bunch that were all joined in the Mission Hall, and squad seven were contemplating just going home, and putting the mission off for another day, as Kagome hummed the beat to a child song that she learned when she was younger, _Kagome, Kagome_.

"Kagome, Kagome," she mumbled as she finished the song, "Who's behind you now?"

Just then, the door to the hall slid open, making a cheerful sound as it slammed against the other side of the doorframe, sounding completely out of place in the impatient, and tiring atmosphere as a man with short violet-tinted black hair pulled back in a tiny ponytail at the base of his neck, a bright red slap mark glowing on his right cheek, as his violet eyes stared dreamily beyond the Hokage and out the window where pretty clouds were present.

Kagome took the time to look him over to discern what the man was, and why he needed kids' assistance as she mentally noted that this must be that 'Miroku' that the old guy mentioned.

He wore houshi robes, she realized. Black baggy hakamas, dark violet haori, and a lighter, loose-looking violet sash tied securely at his left hip. And his under his shirt, which was a long-sleeved one, he seemed to have a long glove that reached into his sleeve of his right arm, where the glove only protected his middle finger where a golden banned ring was, holding the one-finger glove in place, though the glove covered nearly his entire palm, being sealed securely with what looked like beads, and tan maintenance sandals adorned his feet.

She assumed the beads were prayer beads.

"Ahh… Lord Hokage, Master Jiraiya…" he greeted charmingly as he still stared dreamily beyond them, not even seeing them. "I'm sorry I'm late; Sango-chan had caught up to me."

Naruto stared oddly at the man that had just walked in. There was another one of them? He thought that this village was only big enough for _one_ pervert, he shook his head. Obviously the guy had took a slap to his face after being caught spying. And from the looks of it, this 'Sango-chan' probably hadn't taught him much of anything, it seemed like he'd grown use to the treatment.

"Miroku," Minato sighed, finally looking up from his stacks of papers on his desk. Miroku was supposed to be here at 7:30… but now it's; he checked the clock on the far wall that was hanging above the sliding doors – 9:30… he just hopes that this mission will go fine without amiss despite them setting out late. The other teams have already gone. "Where were you?"

"I was on my way here, when this lovely lady had came along, and –"

The four kids didn't bother trying to listen to his excuse, deeming that it wasn't even worth listening to. They just wanted to get this mission over with.

But, apparently the men in the room seemed to all understand as he continued to explain, except for Minato who was now glaring at the man subtly.

"I see," Minato deadpanned at the end of Miroku's explanation. "You already know Kakashi. And well, this is my son, Naruto," he grinned, nodding toward his pride and joy, before moving his gaze to the little black-haired girl, moving down the line to introduce the rest of squad seven. "And Kagome-hime, Sakura, and Sasuke."

Miroku turned his deep thoughtful purple gaze down to the children, with a disguised grin on his face as he talked as if all was right with the world, tilting his head in the slightest to meet eye to eye with the four of them; he wasn't that tall. Probably only an inch or two taller than Itachi was. "Hello, hello; Konoha's new generation!"

Minato stared as he watched the man's cynical gaze lingered on the pair of Naruto and Kagome, though the kids didn't seem to notice anything about his gaze, rather paying attention to his earlier antics, and looking a bit offended that he was just brushing it off.

"You're just as bad as a pervert as Ero Sennin, aren't you?" Naruto demanded with narrowed eyes.

"Oi, gaki," Jiraiya called from his spot leaning on the desk. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?"

Kagome giggled quietly as Miroku leaned back in response to Naruto's accusation, while everyone else waited in baited silence for Miroku's reaction, "Of course not! I am a monk… I just have a wretched condition… this hand is cursed," he sighed forlornly, lifting his gloved hand to show the young blonde, while looking away abashedly. "And if I don't solve it, by requesting a beautiful maiden to bear me—!"

"Miroku!" Minato cut him off with a glare.

Kakashi snickered quietly, leaning against the wall while watching the perverted monk with an expectant eye.

"Can we _please_ just go?" Sakura almost hissed at the men.

Kagome absentmindedly nodded in agreement with Naruto and Sasuke.

"Very well then, we're off on our way." Miroku grinned, resting his hands on both Kagome and Naruto's shoulders. "You guys are so impatient," he sighed again.

Everyone in the room sweatdropped, staring in disbelief at the man, as Kakashi pulled out a small green book; Battle Tactics Paradise, which was also written by Jiraiya, instead of his Icha, Icha book.

"So long, Hokage-sama," Kakashi waved, turning around with his students and client, heading out the door. "Hopefully we can get there by sunset."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: It's official, I am a victim of Inspirational Updating Vomit for this story xD Though, I guess it's a good thing, I hope. ;)<strong>

**Anyways, the first 6 chapters are being edited right now, and I'll replace them when I'm done. **

**-There isn't much to do, but edit the grammatical issues, and add a few more narrations, so the Updates with new chapters might slow down again until I sort out the beginning. **


	15. Onward! To the Land of Demons!

**Authoress's Note: **I still haven't fixed those earlier chapters yet. -.-' I'll get right on that, I will…

**Anywho, Thanks for the reviews! :D**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: Onward! To the Land of Demons!<strong>

Anko blew the few strands of her violet bangs out of her hair as she ate the top dango that was on the thin wooden stick - a yellow one. She teasingly placed it on her slightly long tongue, wrapping it firmly around the delicious, sweet ball of color before closing her mouth in a delighted moan as she watched Sesshoumaru stand a few feet away from her, watching her with a hilarious amount of attention. He didn't like dango, but he didn't mind buying them for _her_.

She didn't understand why Sesshoumaru never wanted to eat any, she already taunted him with the sweetness of them a few moments ago, and he replied with the raising of his eyebrow. _Coldness and flavorless_, she thought, eyeing him.

"If only you were this sweet, Sesshou-kun," she murmured, waving her dango stick in front of her as her lover looked at her in partial amusement.

"And if this Sesshoumaru was 'sweet' you wouldn't have given yourself to me, would you?"

Anko looked over his body once, mockingly, before she met his golden eyes with a mischievous glint in her own hazy hazel. "Of course I would have - you have no taste; but you're still _my_ personal eye candy," she winked at him, before eating another dango, finishing her stick as she flicked it into the target, hitting the bull's eye. "Bull's eye," she muttered.

She stood up from her spot on the ground near the tree that was directly across from the target that she was using as a dango-stick throwing practice, having just finished with her 15th and last one. Each and every time she threw one, it landed directly in the center of the target, one after another, splitting each other in half. Right now the sticks looked kind of like a wooden flower.

She grinned at her masterpiece, wiping her hands on the sides of her tan trench coat before taking two steps toward the dog demon prince.

_This isn't exactly what I was dreaming of when I was a young girl_, she thought. _But, there's no way I'll take anything more, or anything less_.

"Kagome just got sent off with Team Seven on their team test," Anko mentioned as an afterthought, moving her bangs away from her hitai-ate for a moment as she tried to put her concern for the girl aside. "Though, this year the Yondaime decided to switch it up a bit…"

She was only telling him this because he was on a mission today, ever since he told Kagome the real reason why she was sent to Konoha without giving the real reason of why she was in trouble, he was trying to avoid her. "And you're worried about her?"

"Well, yeah…" she sighed. "Who wouldn't be? This test is completely different from the ones that all the other generations have taken. They all had to take a simple bell test back then; they're going on a _hypothetical_ mission; where they're stimulating a real live mission's case. A lot of things could go wrong."

"She trained under a trusted ANBU shinobi and the Daiyoukai's son," Sesshoumaru commented dryly, putting his arms around Anko's thin waist. "And under watch of Copy Ninja Kakashi; I'm sure she'll be fine."

"I sure hope you're right."

"I am."

* * *

><p>Kagome, Miroku, Kakashi, and his team were walking quietly; a little <em>too<em> quietly for Naruto and Kagome, actually. Since they were the type to fill in the void of quiet with incandescent chatter, they're travel mates weren't in the least bit bored, or uninterested in anything that was going on; even if they weren't apart of the current conversation that was going between the two.

"So, Kagome-chan," Naruto continued speaking to the girl as if there was no one else there, his bright blue eyes meeting her own as he grinned at her. "What's your old home like?"

Kagome blinked before launching in an admiring animated explanation of her home. "It was amazing… I think. You know; I haven't really got out of the manor before they sent me off to Konoha…" her eyes burned a bit but she just brushed it off and began to speak again. "Tou-san always made sure I was with Sesshou, or InuYasha, for some reason," she shrugged near the end. Before moving her eyes up to her companion's brilliantly colored blonde hair with a grin on her face.

Their conversation took off from there before the two finished the conversation and Naruto turned to Kakashi and Miroku at the front of the group. "Oi… Kakashi-sensei!"

"What, Naruto?" Kakashi asked, simply flipping to the next page in his book as he walked ahead of his students and beside the perverted monk.

"Where are we going, anyways?" Naruto questioned.

"To the Land of Demons," he answered.

Kagome and Naruto halted looking at each other for a moment, getting odd glances from Sakura and Sasuke, but they ignored them as another set of questions came to surface, though this time from Kagome.

"What? Why?"

"I live there," Miroku answered nonchalantly.

"Why?" Kagome asked again.

Miroku stopped and looked Kagome in the eye with a thoughtful look on his face before he finally answered her. "Why do you live in Konoha?"

"Because of my dad," she frowned.

Miroku smiled at her and turned to pat her head as he made sure he caught her eye. "Kagome-chan, I'm sure your father meant well when he sent you here..." once he was done, he turned back around, taking Kagome's hand in his as they walked side by side, missing the panicked look that Kagome was giving Kakashi. "You just have to make the best of it!"

Kagome reflexively raised her free hand and smacked him on the face with a low mutter of, "Hentai," as a resounded slap sound made it's way around the forest.

"Oi," Naruto pulled Kagome closer to him as Miroku let go of her hand to rub his face in bewilderment. "You're just like Ero-Sennin!"

Kakashi looked up from his book at last, with question in his visible eye as Miroku started to deny Naruto's accusation. "I am not! And didn't Master Jiraiya tell you not to call him tha-"

Naruto had cut him off before he could even finish his protest and ignoring the last part of Miroku's speech. "Liar!"

"I can't believe this," Sakura muttered to Sasuke, but Sasuke just ignored her.

"Ah, Naruto keep it down, you might alert someone to our location," Kakashi scolded, turning to the next page in his Icha Icha book.

* * *

><p>Minato started when the door to his office swung open and revealed a very upset looking Sango for Kami knows what reason Miroku had given before they had taken off for the test. And he adopted a guilty look on his face as he realized that Sango probably wanted to punish the monk for various reasons. He calmed his heavily beating heart as he stared inquiringly at the young woman. "Ah, Sango-san? How may I help you?" he asked timidly, noticing the seething expression on her face as her eyes flitted around his office before landing her gaze on the blonde man.<p>

"Miroku - Where - Where did you send him?" she ground out, her voice seeming to drop the room to a chilly degree, never breaking eye contact.

"He's helping Cell Seven with their test," he pointed out. "He told you that earlier, didn't he?"

"NO! He was busy trying to placate me after he was caught womanizing the women at the onsen!" she uttered out in a furious flurry of words before she added almost as an afterthought. "Again!"

Minato sweatdropped. For a couple that was engaged, he sure did have a deathwish, even if he was trying to live up his bachelor days before he's officially taken. "I understand where you're coming from... but please don't interrupt their test; they need to pass," he pleaded, his shiny cerulean blue eyes met her heated brown ones head on as he gave her a puppy-dog look as best he could, and Sango didn't seem to budge from her angry stance in front of him, at all."But, whenever they get back I give you permission to take out all the anger in the world that you may have on him."

That seemed to calm the demon slayer in the slightest as she huffed out a sigh. "Yeah. I just might have a better idea than I did a while ago. He'll never see it coming," she grinned evilly, while chuckling out a "ku ku ku", as walked out the Hokage's door, leaving the blonde staring oddly after her.

"What a strange, vindictive girl," he muttered, getting back to work on the papers that Hiruzen had delivered fresh after Naruto's team had taken off. _Back to the old grime_, he thought.


End file.
